Well-known personal injury lawyer John Morgan, of the Lake Mary-based law firm Morgan & Morgan, has joined the campaign to legalize marijuana for medical use in the Sunshine State.
He has partnered with the Orlando political action committee People United for Medical Marijuana to back two bills in the Florida Legislature - the Cathy Jordan Medical Cannabis Act, and the Medical Marijuana Act. They're pushing to have these pieces of legislation on the 2014 state ballot for voter approval. Morgan will be leading the effort as chairman of the group, as well as providing financial backing for the campaign.
Politics isn't new territory for Morgan - the lawyer is also known for donating to campaigns of mostly Democratic politicians, including hosting fundraisers for President Barack Obama and Florida Senator Bill Nelson.
In an interview with First Coast Connect's Melissa Ross this morning, John Morgan explained that his decision to become involved stems from his father's experience with emphysema and esophageal cancer .
"He was suffering, he was in pain, he could find no relief," he said. "The medicines he was given weren't helping him. My brother [...] got him marijuana, and the marijuana that he smoked or ingested was like a wonder drug. He had an appetite, he was pain-free, he was relaxed..."
Morgan also points to the number of clients he has seen affected by the state's illegal "pill mills" as another reason for backing the push.
"This is nuts for us not to allow," he continued. "This is a plant put into nature by God for us, that heals and relieves pain and anxiety. If it's tightly regulated, and only administered by doctor's orders, why would we rather have this than oxycontin? It makes no sense."
You can listen to the full interview over on our On Demand page.
