Welcome to Florida's NORML website!

We have a lot going on and we could use your help! In the upcoming months we shall be forming a Political Action Committee to create amendments to the state constitution. We are going to need to get a lot of people to sign the petitions (well, we really only need a little over 1\3 of the Floridians who smoked marijuana just last year to have way more than enough signatures) and we will need to get a whole lot of votes (well, we really only need about 1\2 of the Floridians who smoked marijuana to have way more than enough votes) in order to:

1. End prohibition of responsible adult use.
2. Get much needed medicine and relief to people fighting Cancer, HIV\AIDS, MS and a host of other debilitating diseases that cannabis has flat out proven to be both safe and effective in treating often when no other FDA approved drug is.
3. Allow farmers to reap the benefits of industrial hemp an easy to grow and easy to harvest plant that is an environment friendly crop that produces Bio-Diesel, Cloth, Paper, Food, and Fibers. With Florida's climate and weather our farmers will be a major player in ending our foreign dependence on oil and the terrorists it funds.

And in just one day after the new laws go into effect they will do what decades of prohibition, erosion of constitutional rights, trillions of wasted dollars, unnecessary arrests and needles jail sentences couldn't do:

1. Put organized crime and its associated violence out of business
2. And TAKE THE DRUG DEALERS OUT OF THE CLASSROOM!
3. Let police officers focus on the violent crimes for which only a small fraction ever get solved.

We will be holding events all throughout the state to raise community awareness (and much needed funds). We are going to go way out of our way to expose AbNORML local politicians (and special interests) and work hard with the honest, intelligent practical politicians, businessmen and citizens that want to do what's best for Florida.

NORML Mission Statement

NORML's mission is to move public opinion sufficiently to achieve the repeal of marijuana prohibition so that the responsible use of cannabis by adults is no longer subject to penalty.
 
Principles of Responsible Cannabis Use

When marijuana is enjoyed responsibly, subjecting users to harsh criminal and civil penalties provides no public benefit and causes terrible injustices. For reasons of public safety, public health, economics and justice, the prohibition laws should be repealed to the extent that they criminalize responsible marijuana use.

I. Adults Only
Cannabis consumption is for adults only. It is irresponsible to provide cannabis to children.

Many things and activities are suitable for young people, but others absolutely are not. Children do not drive cars, enter into contracts, or marry, and they must not use drugs. As it is unrealistic to demand lifetime abstinence from cars, contracts and marriage, however, it is unrealistic to expect lifetime abstinence from all intoxicants, including alcohol. Rather, our expectation and hope for young people is that they grow up to be responsible adults. Our obligation to them is to demonstrate what that means.

II. No Driving
The responsible cannabis consumer does not operate a motor vehicle or other dangerous machinery while impaired by cannabis, nor (like other responsible citizens) while impaired by any other substance or condition, including some medicines and fatigue.

Although cannabis is said by most experts to be safer than alcohol and many prescription drugs with motorists, responsible cannabis consumers never operate motor vehicles in an impaired condition. Public safety demands not only that impaired drivers be taken off the road, but that objective measures of impairment be developed and used, rather than chemical testing.

III. Set and Setting
The responsible cannabis user will carefully consider his/her set and setting, regulating use accordingly.

"Set" refers to the consumer's values, attitudes, experience and personality, and "setting" means the consumer's physical and social circumstances. The responsible cannabis consumer will be vigilant as to conditions -- time, place, mood, etc. -- and does not hesitate to say "no" when those conditions are not conducive to a safe, pleasant and/or productive experience.

IV. Resist Abuse
Use of cannabis, to the extent that it impairs health, personal development or achievement, is abuse, to be resisted by responsible cannabis users.

Abuse means harm. Some cannabis use is harmful; most is not. That which is harmful should be discouraged; that which is not need not be.

Wars have been waged in the name of eradicating "drug abuse", but instead of focusing on abuse, enforcement measures have been diluted by targeting all drug use, whether abusive or not. If marijuana abuse is to be targeted, it is essential that clear standards be developed to identify it.

V. Respect Rights of Others
The responsible cannabis user does not violate the rights of others, observes accepted standards of courtesy and public propriety, and respects the preferences of those who wish to avoid cannabis entirely.

No one may violate the rights of others, and no substance use excuses any such violation. Regardless of the legal status of cannabis, responsible users will adhere to emerging tobacco smoking protocols in public and private places.