Florida Supreme Court OKs medical marijuana for ballot

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A Florida measure that would allow the use of medical marijuana has cleared its final hurdle and will be on the November ballot.
 
The state Supreme Court on Monday approved the language for the proposed constitutional amendment.
 
The justices approved the ballot summary 4-3 just three days after a petition drive reached the required number of signatures to place the measure on the ballot.
 
The decision is a defeat for Attorney General Pam Bondi, who challenged the ballot language by saying it's misleading.
 
Channel 9's Greg Warmoth has been following the issue since November when he flew to California to cover it.

Now that the final hurdle has been cleared, it's up to the voters in Florida and attorney John Morgan told Warmoth research polling shows that a large majority of Florida voters will vote "yes" on medical marijuana.

Morgan poured $2.8 million into the effort this fall to get the vote on the ballot. In fact, his family and law firm accounted for 83 percent of the legalization effort's entire budget.

In the end, nearly 700,000 signatures were verified and the Supreme Court approved the ballot language.

Opponents are fearful that Florida will turn into the next California, where Warmoth found it easy to get a prescription and then buy as much pot as he wanted.

Morgan said that will be up the state, cities and counties to implement rules to protect communities.

For the ballot initiative to pass, it doesn't need a simple majority, but 60 percent voter approval.

And a person cannot get medical marijuana unless they have a "debilitating condition."

Gov. Rick Scott is opposed to medical marijuana. His Democrats challengers, state Sen. Nan Rich and former Gov. Charlie Crist, both support it.

WFTV