Florida medical marijuana has issues. The most common I’ve found among patients and potential patients alike is an overarching fear of their employer discovering their use of medical marijuana.
It pains me to know that the general public has access to an alternative and natural option, but are stumped as they risk their livelihood for something as simple as pain relief. I have current patients who are nervous everyday as they are veterans who are in fear of losing rightful benefits for protecting our country; mothers with cancer who want to see the future they’ve planted for their children; and individuals who simply cannot afford missing even an hour of work, let alone being fired.
Florida Medical Marijuana
Why do we continue to treat members of our community as criminals for something natural and not associated with harmful side effects? It’s as if our goal was to form a Catch 22 derived set of laws that will continue to demonize the use of this medicine.
One such promising bill is HB 595, which was introduced by Florida Representative Tina Polsky, and it states: “Prohibits employers from taking adverse personnel action against employees or applicants who are qualified patients using medical marijuana; requires employers to provide certain written notice to employees or applicants who test positive for marijuana; provides procedures for if employee or applicant tests positive for marijuana; provides cause of action & damages.”
This bill will benefit the community in multiple ways; from a wider reach to the general public, to symptomatic relief, and even in terms of business benefits with an increase in patients and use. My hope with this bill is that it leads to an ease of anxiety throughout the community, and a decrease in the use and addictions to opiates. It’s time to be realistic and take a fresh approach to healthcare.
