Publix Heiress:$800K to Stop Med. Marijuana

[TheCat]

Florida loves Publix, the supermarket chain routinely ranked the most valuable and beloved company in the whole state thanks in no small part to its fantastically salty sub sandwiches. So it's sure to jar a few hard-core Publix fans to learn that the family that founded the chain just donated $800,000 to a conservative-led campaign fighting medical marijuana legalization.

State election records show that the Carol Jenkins Barnett Family Trust donated $800,000 July 14 to Drug Free Florida, the lobbying group running a scare-tactics campaign to kill Florida's medical marijuana amendments. The same group helped squash 2014's medical marijuana amendment, which fell just two percentage points short of the 60 percent vote it needed to pass statewide.

With a similar bill called Amendment 2 on the ballot this November, Drug Free Florida is back spreading lies, half-truths, and misinformation about the proposed law. Miami New Times debunked ten of the group's most egregiously false claims yesterday — and our sister paper, New Times Broward-Palm Beach, also compiled a list of the most hilarious, Reefer Madness-style videos Drug Free Florida has put out this year too.

According to Forbes, Jenkins Barnett, daughter of Publix founder George Jenkins, is worth $1.8 billion and owns under 5 percent of the supermarket chain. She was reportedly Publix's largest shareholder as of June.

It appears Jenkins Barnett, who stepped down from her role with the chain last month as she fights early-onset Alzheimer's at age 59, really doesn't like medical marijuana. She reportedly gave more than $500,000 to Drug Free Florida in 2014 — this year, she's given even more to ensure the amendment doesn't pass.

http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/publix-heiress-donates-800-000-to-fight-medical-marijuana-legalization-in-florida-8631552

[funwithteeth]

What a narc.

[lastdaysoffla]

This is such BS.


Anybody been to Colorado lately? Medical Cannabis would be an economic windfall for Florida. People would move here from all over the Southeast. Before people start saying "think of the children". Teen cannabis use is Colorado is down since legalization, so is opioid use, as is Medicare spending. In a state where the addict population is still going strong from the pill mills and a large portion of people are older and on Medicare, these should be important points.

Let's face Florida already has a cannabis culture, time to recognize it.

[coredumped]

Very stupid. Ask any kid in high school, they'll tell you it's easier to get weed than alcohol.
I'm sad, because I love Publix.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

I'm sad, because I love Publix.

Are you going to stop shopping there?

[acme54321]

People would move here from all over the Southeast

I don't know if many would consider that a good thing

[funwithteeth]

I'm gonna go to Publix deli today and smoke a fatty and let the munchies make my order for me.

[JHAT76]

This is such BS.


Anybody been to Colorado lately? Medical Cannabis would be an economic windfall for Florida. People would move here from all over the Southeast. Before people start saying "think of the children". Teen cannabis use is Colorado is down since legalization, so is opioid use, as is Medicare spending. In a state where the addict population is still going strong from the pill mills and a large portion of people are older and on Medicare, these should be important points.

Let's face Florida already has a cannabis culture, time to recognize it.

Maybe she loves children.  Or maybe the fact that Publix has pharmacies there is another incentive to push against anything other than more prescribed pharmaceuticals.

[marty904]

I'm sad, because I love Publix.

Are you going to stop shopping there?

Yes, I am going to stop shopping there.  Between this and their refusal to join the Fair Food program to stop exploiting farm workers, I am absolutely done supporting Publix!
Watch the film on Netflix (http://www.foodchainsfilm.com/)

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

I'm sad, because I love Publix.

Are you going to stop shopping there?

Yes, I am going to stop shopping there.

I haven't spent a penny inside of a Walmart in over a decade.  Olive Garden just over 7.  McDonalds in about 5.  And I just started my Gate boycott last month.   

I can definitely tell that they're struggling without my business.  Gate won't feel the pain until next quarter at the earliest.

Let us know how long your Publix holdout lasts.

[Adam White]

Before the last referendum, I was really surprised to learn how many of my friends were deeply concerned about the well-being of cancer patients.

[coredumped]

I'm sad, because I love Publix.

Are you going to stop shopping there?

No, I'll still shop there, there's not really a good option, WD isn't up to the standards of Publix. But if Kroger ever comes to town.......
Heck, I still eat at Chik-fil-a, but i havent been to wal-mart in about 10 years.

I know, very flaky.

Marijuana is coming, and no amount of money is going to stop it now. It's not 1990, come to terms with it people.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

I'm sad, because I love Publix.

Are you going to stop shopping there?

No, I'll still shop there, there's not really a good option, WD isn't up to the standards of Publix. But if Kroger ever comes to town.......
Heck, I still eat at Chik-fil-a, but i havent been to wal-mart in about 10 years.

I know, very flaky.

Marijuana is coming, and no amount of money is going to stop it now. It's not 1990, come to terms with it people.

That's pretty much the answer I would have had. 

Of the list of places that I don't support anymore, I still shopped there even though I disagreed with their overall views.  It wasn't until I got fed up with a few customer service issues that I quit going.  Gate will actually be out of altruism, but not really because gas is gas to me.

[benfranklinbof]

Wow Publix that's pathetic.
Very true, cannabis is going to come regardless of how much money they fork up.
I had a debate with my mother on the topic of cannabis her response was "why don't we legalize prostitution then?"
A lot of people are not educated on how beneficial cannabis can be for our society.   
Paper- the plant grows way faster than trees
Concrete(hempcrete)- concrete with less toxins
Alternative medicine- less life threatening side effects with real recovery
Clothing
These are just some of the beneficial uses from this miraculous plant.
Just imagine all the jobs it's created in the states that legalized it.
I'm pretty sure it affects logistics/distribution, restaurants, farmers, inspectors and more.

November is right around the corner guys!

[spuwho]

Children cannabis OD's are increasing in Colorado.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/27/health/colorado-marijuana-children/