Florida Medical Marijuana Advocacy Group Leads Opponents in Funding

People United for Medical Marijuana currently has a big financial edge on Drug Free Florida Committee. People United for Medical Marijuana has reportedly raised $3.99 million; whereas, Drug Free Florida Committee reports having raised $2.86 million.

People United for Medical Marijuana have received most of their campaign funding from a single resource, reports Palm Beach Post. Jim Morgan of The Morgan Firm has donated $2.7 million to the group hoping to help legalize medical marijuana in Florida in November. In total, 7,614 contributions have been made to this group, all of the other donations averaged $163.76 each.

A few businesses have donated to Drug Free Florida Committee. The largest donation came from Sheldon Adelson, head of the Las Vegas Sands. His donation is listed at $1 million. Another $1 million donation came from Mel Sembler, a real estate developer. Carol Jenkins Barnett of Publix donated $800,000.

In 2014, a ballot measure to legalize medical marijuana in Florida failed passage by just 2 percent, as Florida requires 60 percent passage for a ballot measure to become law. The 2016 initiative is proposed to allow those with “debilitating diseases as determined by a licensed Florida doctor” to purchase medical marijuana from properly regulated dispensaries.