One of Florida’s hottest political debates is coming to Pensacola.

The Epilepsy Foundation of Florida’s Medical Marijuana Education forum will take place at the West Florida Regional Library, 239 N. Spring St., Thursday, Oct. 2, at 6 p.m.

The forum is to provide a better understanding of epilepsy and medical marijuana, and the potential treatment option the Amendment 2 ballot measure would provide. Other discussions are planned in Jacksonville, Gainesville, Miami and Broward.

Florida voters in November will get decide on whether marijuana should be legalized for medicinal purposes.

The Florida Right to Medical Marijuana Initiative, or Amendment 2, will be on the Nov. 4 ballot as an initiated constitutional amendment. State law requires 60 percent of voters to approve constitutional amendments.

If approved, the measure would legalize medical marijuana, guaranteeing its use medically is not a criminal offense under state law. Approval also means licensed doctors can legally issue marijuana to patients diagnosed with a “debilitating medical condition.”

Speakers in Pensacola will include Dr. J. Ben Renfroe, a neurologist, Dr. Joseph Rosado, a primary care physician, Quintina Collin, a patient’s family member, and state Rep. Matt Gaetz, who sponsored Charlotte’s Web law. A representative with United For Care and one with Vote 2 also are on the panel. Mollye Barrows of the Studer Institute is the moderator.

Amendment 2 supporters say the measure will help people with debilitating medical conditions, Opponents argue the amendment is a first step toward legalizing marijuana in Florida.

Gov. Rick Scott signed a law this year allowing use of “Charlotte’s Web,” a cannabis-based oil with no intoxicating properties, to treat childhood epilepsy and some other conditions.

Rep. Gaetz supports Charlotte’s Web but opposed the amendment that allows for the much wider use of medical marijuana.

“As a limited government conservative, I don’t want the government standing between parents and the care they need for their children, Gaetz said in an interview with the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Advocates for the amendment say it’s a step in the right direction but will only benefit a small group of people.

The main group against the amendment, the Drug Free Florida Committee, has been running campaigns, including Internet ads, which say, “Amendment 2 Creates 1,800 Pot Shops All Over Florida.” The Florida Sheriffs Association has aligned itself with the committee in opposition of the amendment.

Newly filed finance reports show groups on both sides of the issue have spent nearly $1.9 million in mid-September on advertising-related costs, according to the News Service of Florida.

The Drug Free Florida Committee reported spending a total of $1,788,447 from Sept. 13-19, with $1,779,645 of that going to Jamestown Associates LLC for what was described as "media placement." A committee spokeswoman said earlier this month that amendment opponents planned to spend $1.6 million on television ads, slated to start running in October.

A pro-amendment group known as People United for Medical Marijuana reported spending a total of $133,754 from Sept. 13-19, with $114,500 of that going to the Weston-based firm Impact Politics for advertising.

For more information, call (305) 670-4949, or email [email protected].

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