After Amendment 2 Failure in Florida, DWI Marijuana in Texas by 2017 Asks Lee, Gober & Reyna?

Austin, TX (Law Firm Newswire) December 11, 2014 – This year, Florida was working on a possible new category of driving impairment: driving under the influence of a physician-recommended intoxicant, such as cannabis for medicinal purposes. But the idea failed at the polls.

The passage of such a law in Florida would have depended on Amendment 2’s success. Amendment 2 failed, even though polls suggested that the public supported medical marijuana use by almost 90 percent.

The poll was close, but not close enough. Florida requires a supermajority of 60 percent or higher in favor. The Amendment came in with 57 percent of the voters backing it.

There may be another attempt to pass a similar amendment in the future.

The District of Columbia and 23 other states have legalized marijuana for medical use. Colorado and Washington legalized recreational marijuana in 2012. Both states started selling the plant early in 2014. Despite indications that states are reconsidering their legal position on marijuana, it is still banned federally and classified as a Schedule I substance along with LSD and heroin.

“Florida was considering legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes for debilitating medical conditions,” explained Bobby Lee of Austin law firm Lee, Gober & Reyna. Debilitating medical conditions may include, but not be limited to, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, cancer, AIDS, HIV, glaucoma, Hep C or any condition a doctor feels may be assisted by the use of marijuana.

According to a Quninnipiac poll in May 2014, Floridians strongly supported the use of medical marijuana. However, in the face of a heavily financed $5 million opposition campaign launched by billionaire Sheldon Adelson, support began to dwindle. Oddly, Adelson’s medical research foundation had previously demonstrated that medical marijuana has the potential to assist those with MS.

Even in the face of Amendment 2’s defeat, medical marijuana use seems to have a place in Florida, but not right now. There is clear evidence that voters would support a new direction for the future.

“What about medical marijuana use in Texas?” asked Lee. “According to the Baker Institute Blog and James A. Baker, Baker III Institute for Public Policy, medical marijauna use in Texas will be legalized in 2015 and by 2017, it will be regulated much like alcohol.” It is an interesting prediction.

Despite changing attitudes about medical marijuana use and its use for recreational purposes, it remains a controversial topic because it has a distracting effect on drivers behind the wheel of a vehicle.

To learn more, visit http://www.lgrlawfirm.com

Lee, Gober & Reyna
11940 Jollyville Road #220-S
Austin, Texas 78759
Phone: 512.478.8080

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