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"There's not going to be an enforcement against banks for taking marijuana money," Morgan promised. By the time Florida's rules go into place, "that will be gone." Morgan charged that the only reason mar- ijuana was outlawed in the first place was "pure unadulterated hate and racism," citing public campaigns suggesting that black men would seduce white women under the influ- ence of the drug. "At the heart of it, it was a bunch of white men running America wanting to do what they wanted to do," he said. "It's disgusting." Knight argued that the medical marijuana busi- ness would mirror the state's much-loathed prescription pill business. Most doctors are legit, but you can't account for "bad apples" who will write prescriptions for no reason, he said. Then why does the FDA allow Oxycontin to be sold at all? "The downside to marijuana pales in comparison to the downside of FDA- approved drugs," Morgan said. "One is a narcotic poison and one is an organic plant in nature." He called the heads of pharmaceu- tical companies "crooks." No one has ever died from a marijuana over- dose, Morgan pointed out. Compare that to the legacy of America's alcohol policies. Near the end, the debate turned to how easy it would be for kids to access the drug. Under the amendment, young people under 21 could only fill a marijuana prescription with the consent of a parent. Author Leslie Glass, cofounder of the addiction recovery nonprofit Reach Out Recovery, asked attendees if they would be happy to see their teens smoking pot. Knight said his daughter, a college stu- dent, tells him the drug is all over campus. He thinks that abuse will only increase if the amendment passes. "Nobody wants their children to be using mar- ijuana recreationally," Morgan said. "But to come in here and say, 'Who wants our 13- and 14-year-olds to be smoking marijuana?' That's like saying, 'Who wants our 16-year-olds to be drinking beer and tequila?' But you don't shut down the liquor stores over that." As entertaining as the back-and-forth was, most attendees seemed to leave with the same opinions they had on the issue when they arrived. The amendment could moti- vate young voters, who normally vote in lower numbers during mid-term elections, to turn out in force this fall, a potential boon to Democratic candidates. That in turn could help close Morgan ally Charlie Crist, the Republican-turned-Democrat former gov- ernor who is challenging Rick Scott in his reelection campaign. Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Mike Bennett, a former state senator, said the polls suggest the amendment will easily meet the 60 percent threshold it needs to become law. And while the amendment is likely to pass, it will be up to the Florida Legislature and local communities to craft the regulations that will guide the new system, he pointed out. Cops such as Knight may oppose the measure, Bennett said, but they can't just be naysayers: "I'm hoping now that law enforcement in the state of Florida will get behind writing the rules and regulations." % Sarasota News Leader February 14, 2014 Page 29