Medical marijuana bill filed in Florida Senate

TALLAHASSEE --

Florida lawmakers will consider medical marijuana during the upcoming legislative session.

State Sen. Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth, filed a bill Wednesday that would allow patients to own and use medical marijuana.

SB 1250 is also known as the Cathy Jordan Medical Cannabis Act. The bill is named for the president of the Florida Cannabis Action Network, who as Lou Gehrig's Disease. On Monday police raided her home and seized her medical marijuana.

Almost three dozen states have either passed medical marijuana legislation or is looking into it.

This is not the first time Clemens has pushed for legalization of medical marijuana. He filed a bill as a state representative in 2011, calling for the issue to be put on the ballot.

More people across the country are supporting legalization of marijuana in general, according to pollsters. A national Quinnipiac poll last December showed 51 percent of people questioned believed marijuana use should be legal.

A similar poll by Quinnipiac in Florida last December showed Floridians were against legalization of marijuana for personal use: 52 percent to 42 percent.