John Morgan Will Match Med. Marijuana Supporters' Donations Until Oct. 1

In an email sent out to supporters of United For Care’s initiative to legalize medical marijuana in Florida, John Morgan announced that he and fellow donor Barbara Stiefel will both personally match every contribution made to the campaign between Thursday, September 25 and Wednesday, October 1.

“If we don’t pass Amendment 2, patients will continue to be forced into a choice between deadly, addictive and caustic prescriptions or the threat of arrest and court,” Morgan began his email.

Reiterating his belief that the issue of legalizing medical marijuana in Florida transcends political lines and party interests, Morgan added, “No one with a debilitating condition should have to make that choice when something as benign as medical marijuana can be made available to them with their doctor’s supervision.”

For every $100 that is donated, for example, Morgan and Stiefel will each personally add $100. The announcement to match donors’ contributions comes on the heels of the latest effort by Amendment 2’s biggest opponents, namely billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, to combat, confuse and misconstrue the facts about something polls have shown Florida residents undoubtedly support.

To date, Amendment 2’s opponents have spent millions of dollars, including $2.5 million of Adelson’s own money, on scare tactics and television commercials aimed at discrediting the facts about medical marijuana. In his email, Morgan stressed that while both sides may be equal in monetary muscle, more is always better than less when it comes to spreading the truth.

“In four days, the forces opposed to Amendment 2—aligned with big pharma, tobacco, and casinos—will be launching a multi-million dollar campaign to mislead the public,” Morgan said. “I have put millions in to make this happen—but we need millions more.”

In the build up to the Florida’s general election in November, Morgan has trekked across the state to rally support for Amendment 2. Prior to his most recent debate with medical marijuana opponent Sheriff Grady Judd, Morgan spoke to the Rotary Club of Tampa about his father and brother’s well-documented experiences with medical marijuana and how the issue is one of compassion that should be embraced.