Fort Meyers – Some members of the Southwest Florida medical community met Wednesday night to discuss medical marijuana and Amendment 2, which voters will decide on in November.
They met at Advanced Pain Management and Spine Specialists in Fort Myers, operated by Dr. Jonathan Daitch.
Under Florida’s recently passed “Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act of 2014 [SB 1030],” Daitch can legally prescribe low-THC “Charlotte’s Web.”
“It took a long time to get the proper legislation with the proper safe guards,” Daitch said about the process of passing Senate Bill 1030.
The law allows sufferers of certain medical conditions to use Charlotte’s Web.
Daitch said Amendment 2 isn’t the right next step in marijuana laws for Florida.
“As a physician, I don’t want medical marijuana to be the lead-in to a legalization of marijuana,” he said.
He worries medical marijuana will make it easier for kids to get pot, and also that Florida will see a repeat of pill mills.
“The potential is there for the same thing to happen with pot mills,” Daitch said.
The medical community in Fort Myers is divided on the subject.
Dr. Dareld Morris is also allowed to prescribe Charlotte’s Web. He said Amendment 2 is about creating more options for patients.
“I look at it as another tool in my toolbox,” Morris said. “It’s not front line treatment, it’s designed to be you’ve tried these other things, and you’re not really happy with that treatment or it’s not going that well.”
Amendment 2 failed in 2014 receiving 57 percent of the vote.
Sixty percent of voters will have to vote yes in order for Amendment 2 to pass in November.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker
Full Article: SW Florida Doctors Say No To Medical Marijuana
Author: Graham Hunter
Contact: NBC 2
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Website: NBC 2
