Q&A of the day – Marijuana in Florida
It’s the Q&A of the day. Each day I’ll feature a listener question that’s been submitted by one of these methods.
Email: brianmudd@iheartmedia.com
Twitter: @brianmuddradio
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Today’s comes from Janice:
I heard a bit of your conversation with the attorney this morning regarding the legalization of marijuana. As a nurse of many years, I fail to understand what benefit there is to "legalizing marijuana." We use all kinds of restricted drugs for medical reasons - why should marijuana be treated any differently.
My father, husband, and brother-in-law all died of cancer. My husband could legally take oxycodone, my father took fentanyl, and my brother-in-law was taking huge doses of morphine to try to control his bone pain. However, none of those are legally sold on the street. If someone needs marijuana, why can't they just get a prescription for it? The attorney this morning said his mother needed marijuana to deal with her cancer before she passed. I don't see that anyone would have a problem with that - but we don't need marijuana shops for that.
Please enlighten me.
Bottom Line: I think there might have been a bit of confusion about my position, so I’ll start there. What annoys me most about politics, and this can be true of the politicians as well, is hypocrisy. I voted against the Florida Amendment authorizing medical marijuana in 2016. Not because I’m opposed to it but because there’s a right and wrong way of doing things and Florida got it wrong. At least if you believe in the US Constitution and the rule of law...
As I’ve stated for years, the right way to pursue marijuana legalization in any form is at the federal level. As long as it’s a schedule one drug according to the federal government it’s not legal in any form in any state. The legalization effort, including for medical marijuana should have happened in Washington – not here. But because we’re a country filled with people who aren’t taught about the Constitution and/or lack principals if something we like the idea of is involved – this happens.
It’s my consistency on core principles and values that also lead me to the greater point of your note. The reasons I’m supportive of real legalization at the federal level is A) To put an end to the lawlessness taking place in states like ours B) My belief in limited government.
Personally, I have no interest in marijuana. I’ve never tried it and have no interest in trying it. To your point, from a healthcare perspective, I’m hopeful that people don’t use it recreationally. But it’d be hypocritical of me to espouse belief in limited government – until it’s something I don’t like. I’ll admit that being principled in today’s political environment is extremely frustrating but even if I’m the last person who remains principled so be it.
It’s the same principled limited government approach that also leads me to use the partial government shutdown as a teachable moment illustrating how truly bloated our federal government remains. So yeah if I had it my way marijuana would be federally decriminalized, and I’d eliminate hundreds of federal government agencies. All based on the same belief in limited government.