Florida Cannabis Action Network (FL CAN) has announced they have set a meeting with Florida Governor Rick Scott’s Office of Budget and Policy Chief Advisor Jeremy McDaniel to discuss a more sensible state policy regarding cannabis. FL CAN is collecting petitions to give to McDaniels and Governor Scott to provide amnesty from criminal prosecution for patients who use cannabis to alleviate symptoms they are experiencing from various diseases.FL CAN Executive Director Jodi James said, “FL CAN President Cathy Jordan and I are meeting with the Governor’s Chief Advisor on Policy and Budget. We are putting together a persuasive pitch for removing criminal sanctions against patients using cannabis.” Cannabis use has been shown to be beneficial for people with ALS, Cancer, MS, chronic pain and a myriad of other ailments.
Libertarians support the legalization of cannabis as it is the right of each individual to decide what to ingest into their own body and be responsible for the consequences of that action. Some individuals choose to live a healthy lifestyle while others choose not to do so. If someone ingests foods causing them to be obese, then they should be responsible for doing so. Some will use toxic chemicals to help cure their disease while others will seek out alternative sources of assistance. Libertarians believe it is not up to the government to decide what is good or bad for individuals and certainly should not be incarcerating Americans when they are not violating the rights of others.
Libertarian Party Presidential nominee Gary Johnson is the only candidate of the three Presidential candidates expected to be on the ballot in all 50 states who advocates for the legalization of cannabis. Mitt Romney has stated he would not legalize cannabis and Barack Obama has said the same. During Obama’s term as President of the United States he is on par to surpass former President Bush’s number of Americans he has put in jail for drug offenses. Obama has taken the extra step to jail patients using cannabis legally in their state using federal law to put them in prison for lengthy sentences.
Jodi James and FL CAN President Cathy Jordan will meet with McDaniels on August 2, 2012 and here is a link to their petition.