Two Florida state legislators introduced identical bills to legalize medical marijuana for severe illnesses on Monday before a constitutional amendment reaches a public vote in November, Reuters reported.
The two democratic senators, Jeff Clemens and Joe Saunders, unveiled their bill on Monday alongside patients and their families, according to Reuters.
"This bill puts patients before politics," Cathy Jordan of Parrish, president of the Florida Cannabis Action Network, who has lived 28 years with ALS, Reuters reported. Jordan's speech is slurred due to her illness.
The legislation would allow tight state regulation for medical marijuana to be prescribed for treatment of conditions like cancer, HIV/AIDS, ALS and other severe afflictions, Reuters reported.
The bill has been introduced four times before but Republican legislative leaders, Governor Rick Scott and Attorney General Pam Bondi have all opposed the bill in the past, according to Reuters.
Clemens and Saunders introduced the identically worded bills in both houses of the state legislature on Monday in order for greater ease of passage, Reuters reported.
The ballot language has already been approved by the Florida Supreme Court and will need 60 percent of voter approval to become law next November, according to Reuters.
According to polls, the ballot proposal will most likely pass, Reuters reported.
Saunders said the 2015 Legislature will need to pass implementing legislation about "how we will grow it, how will people who need it get access to it and how will those who are seeking to abuse it receive consequences?" Reuters reported.
Even though Republican leaders have opposed the medical marijuana amendment in the past, there is another bill which would allow non-euphoric marijuana extract, called "Charlotte's Web," is making progress through the Florida House, according to Reuters.
The extract is taken from a part of the plant which does not get the consumer high, but still shows results in treating seizures, Reuters reported.
