TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (The News Service of Florida) - A group leading the campaign to pass a medical-marijuana ballot initiative raised nearly $524,000 from Oct. 8 to Oct. 14 and spent about $702,000, according to a newly filed finance report.
People United for Medical Marijuana, which also is known as United for Care, received the majority of its money during the period from Coral Gables retiree Barbara Stiefel, who has been a major donor to the campaign.
Stiefel contributed $375,000 during the period, bringing the overall amount she has contributed for this year's ballot initiative to $775,000, according to a state Division of Elections database.
Among the other big contributors during the period was the Florida Democratic Party, which pitched in $40,000.
People United for Medical Marijuana is seeking to pass a proposed constitutional amendment Nov. 8 that would broadly legalize medical marijuana. The measure is on the ballot as Amendment 2.
A similar proposal narrowly failed to pass in 2014. The main opposition group, the Drug Free Florida Committee, did not report raising any money from Oct. 8 to Oct. 14.
