Medical marijuana: A controversial vote on Election Day

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Voters will find out on Election Day if medical marijuana will be legal or illegal in Florida.

Early poll numbers have shown roughly 80 percent of Floridians seem to be backing Amendment 2, which fell just short of being approved on the ballot in 2014.

The American Automobile Association, or AAA, has been studying the issue of legalizing pot and the effects on drivers for several years.

The group said there is still very little data and/or tools, like a breathalyzer used to detect alcohol use, that clearly addresses the concerns of driving under the influence of medical marijuana.

A blood test can determine the amount of THC in a person’s body, but some argue that test is not cut and dried.

WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said because things are not clear cut, it would make it hard to prosecute in a crash.

“These cases are going to be difficult for the prosecutor to prove. There is no objective scientific evidence to show how much THC is needed to cause one to be impaired,” Sheaffer said.

AAA officials say the effects of alcohol present a much bigger risk than marijuana when it comes to traffic crashes. They are against legalizing pot for recreational use, however, they won’t say how they feel about medical marijuana.

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