Why Is Sheldon Adelson Trying to Defeat Medical Marijuana?

[RainDog]

http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/story/why-sheldon-adelson-opposing-medical-marijuana

Nice article for those of you in the Sunshine state - and beyond. The author thinks it's strange, but offers some possible insight.

...Stranger still when you realize Adelson's own medical research organization, the Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Medical Research Foundation, produced a study in December showing that medical marijuana has the potential to help those suffering from multiple sclerosis.

My take on what's going on with Adelson can be summed up in two words: Mel Sembler.

Sembler, the GOP fundraiser, St. Petersburg anti-drug crusader, ambassador to Italy who couldn't speak a word of Italian -- and, oh, yes, the founder of drug-rehab-program-from-hell STRAIGHT Inc. -- is one of Adelson's oldest friends.

I've written a couple of times about STRAIGHT Inc. and its prisoner-of-war-style torture, unrelenting cover-ups and subsequent suicides. But Sembler has always defended the program, the tactics and the need to deal harshly with teens using -- even suspected of using -- drugs. My guess is, it was Sembler who went to work hustling money out of Adelson to oppose Amendment 2, and Adelson capitulated.

This proponent of casino gambling wants to oppose "sin" when possible - i.e. non-casino gambling, et al. Harry Reid still vouches for Adelson. Talk about strange. Even stranger when the guy you vouch for aligns with someone whose drug treatment program relies upon torture for "success."

What the drug warriors fear is that showing the least compassion for those with medical illnesses will open the way for Florida to become a haven for marijuana. As if it isn't already! LOL.

Why do these cranky old guys align, so often, with failed public policy - that's what I have to wonder. Why would any Floridian not want to completely legalize marijuana and receive tax revenues from the sale of the same. If anyone thinks people living in Florida, or people in Florida on vacation are not already using marijuana recreationally - well, that just indicates how out-of-touch they are.

Personally, I think anyone who treats marijuana users like prisoners of war should be the ones who are locked up. But I'm not going to try to influence law to make that happen.