The Florida chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) filed a civil lawsuit against the Broward County Commissioner of Elections, after news reports indicated that some mail-in ballots did not include a question about a state constitutional amendment on allowing medical marijuana.
The plaintiffs’ are seeking “a judicial declaration enjoining the Defendants from distributing any further ballots, and implementing an emergency plan to issue new ones which insure the inclusion of the proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot,” the organization said in a statement.
The claim was filed by NORML’s national vice chairman, Fort Lauderdale attorney Norm Kent, and his law partner, Russell Cormican, on behalf of Florida NORML and Karen Goldstein, NORML Florida’s chair, a West Park, Broward County voter.
Florida’s Amendment 2 would legalize medical marijuana for treating individuals with specific debilitating diseases or comparable debilitating conditions as determined by a licensed state physician. Limited medical marijuana use is currently permitted under the state’s 2014 Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act; however, the 2016 amendment fully legalizes medical marijuana use and expands protection to a larger category of diseases and conditions.
Politico reported that recent polls show that more than 70 percent of likely Florida voters support the medical marijuana amendment.