He spearheaded
the drive to bring medicinal marijuana to the Sunshine State, and now attorney John Morgan says he would like to do the same for recreational marijuana.
Orlando attorney John Morgan now says he wants to put recreational marijuana on the Florida ballot in 2020 — and he’s citing President Trump’s recent pro-pot statements as a reason why.
The longtime Democratic fundraiser, who was behind the successful referendum to approve medical marijuana in 2016, had been focusing his money and efforts on getting a $15 minimum wage measure on the 2020 ballot.
But following the latest legal setback in his attempt to allow medical marijuana to be smoked, Morgan thinks he will aim for getting both a “living wage” and recreational pot approved by voters in 2020.
A referendum to legalize recreational marijuana in Florida “would pass overwhelmingly,” he said in an email Tuesday. “And I believe in light of President Trump’s position, America is ready and willing.”
Earlier this month, Trump told reporters before leaving for the G -7 summit in Canada he would be supportive of a bipartisan bill, put forward by U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colorado, which would end the blanket federal ban on pot. Attorney General Jeff
Sessions opposes the bill.
“I support Sen. Gardner,” Trump said. “I know exactly what he’s doing. We’re looking at it. But I probably will end up supporting that, yes.”
Morgan’s firm, Morgan & Morgan, has given almost $500,000 to Florida For A Fair Wage, the political committee working to get the minimum wage issue on the ballot in 2020. But he thinks he would have an easier time raising money for recreational pot.
“The industry is huge, and I believe I would have no problem getting big money from big players,” he said.
Morgan has been on the offensive against Gov. Rick Scott for not allowing smokeable medical pot after Leon Circuit Judge Karen Gievers ruled last month the smoking ban violated the constitutional amendment passed in 2016.
The state appealed the ruling, with the state Department of Health saying it “goes against what the Legislature outlined when they wrote and approved Florida’s law.”
Morgan’s request that the appeal go directly to the Florida Supreme Court was rejected Tuesday, and it will be heard by an appeals court.
“Our governor has said ‘FU’ to the people of Florida,” Morgan said. “The people of Florida could speak unequivocally and loudly. These bitter old men who are stopping it are just dead wrong.”