Politics The latest in cannabis legalization including laws and policies legislators views election coverage and more. Politics How Did Florida Pass Its Medical Marijuana Initiative? Ben Pollara Tells All Katie Matlack We spoke with Ben Pollara political consultant and campaign manager for Floridas medical marijuana United for Care campaign to provide some context on the factors that helped pass the states long-anticipated medical cannabisinitiative. Pollara weighs in below. Ben Pollara giving a victory speech in Orlando after Amendment 2 passed Key factors in Floridas medical marijuana legalization campaign: Just the passage of time [since this was on the ballot two years ago but failed to get enough votes to pass]. Its been an extended dialogue with voters. Its been a presidential versus a non-presidential electorate. We had the opportunity to write the law a second time. Last time the opposition ran a technical campaign it was an anti-this law campaign. This time around what was wrong with the law we fixed. Whether the arguments against it were logical or not we rewrote the law this time to dispense with those arguments. Also there have been microcosms within Florida Orlando and Miami and other cities and counties here in Florida have been decriminalizing on their own in the last 1.5 years. And that was impactful because those efforts almost all occurred either at the urging of police chiefs and law enforcement officials or with the full support of those law enforcement officials. And none of this could have happened without the support of John Morgan. Hes a hero for hundreds of thousands of patients suffering. RELATED STORY Live Cannabis Legalization Coverage amp; Results: Election 2016 On how the opposition was different this time: Sheldon Adelson put in $5.5 million last time versus $1M this time and its not too surprising; you dont get to be the ninth-richest man in the world throwing good money after bad. On the potential fallout of a southern state passing medical marijuana: I mean we have 20 years of history. We know what happens when people get medical marijuana is people get medical marijuana. The unintentional consequences are few and far between. On the economic significance of medical marijuana legalization in Florida: Florida is quickly going to be the second-largest legal marijuana market in the world after California. This is a gigantic deal. We are a gigantic state. To win by a gigantic margin. In a swing state the first southeastern swing state to legalize whether the reform movement has moved past medical marijuana or not it is a huge deal. Election 2016Floridalegalizationmedical marijuana Katie Matlack Katie lives in Austin where she writes for the Texas Observer the Austin Chronicle Leafly and VICE Sports. The Latest in Politics Congratulations Florida. Now Youre In For a Fight. Heres What Americas Legalization Map Could Look Like Tomorrow Live Cannabis Legalization Coverage amp; Results: Election 2016 Why Europe Cant Legalize Cannabis Like the US Earl Blumenauer Handicaps Tuesdays Very Consequential Legalization Votes Related Articles Politics Live Election Night Coverage Politics America's Legalization Map Could Look Like This Tomorrow Politics Obama: Prohibition Could Be 'Untenable' After Tuesday Politics Cannabis Legalization 2016: America Votes The post How Did Florida Pass Its Medical Marijuana Initiative? Ben Pollara Tells All appeared first on Leafly. by Katie Matlack at Leafly