LAKELAND, Fla. — Morgan Haas, a medical marijuana activist who helped with the campaign "United for Care" in 2014 to legalize medical marijuana in Florida, is turning his energies now toward helping patients afford medical marijuana to treat their ailments.

  • Health insurance does not cover medical marijuana
  • Haas a 3-time cancer survivor, uses medical marijuana for anxiety
  • Learn more about the Rainy Day Foundation

Haas said he broke his back and his foot and has battled thyroid cancer three times. He said medical marijuana helps him deal with anxiety and makes him feel better.

“I was on four 15-milligram oxycontins," said Haas, who is also a diabetic. "I ended up quitting them as soon as I’ve got my [medical marijuana] recommendation."

However, subsisting on an $850 monthly disability check makes it quite hard to afford the medical marijuana he needs to relieve his ailments.

“I can’t afford all of my medicine," he explained. "My medicine costs…I’m on 20,000 milligrams inhalation and I’m on 15,000 milligrams oral. That would run me close to $5,000 dollars every 70 days. There’s no way possible I could pay that."

That realization led him to create the Rainy Day Foundation to help people who are in worse off situations than his. He wants more people battling chronic illnesses to be able to afford using the drug legally.

“I’m hoping to get people on SSDI that make under $1,000 a month a free seven-month or year medical recommendation from a recommending doctor and also to get them a free medical card the first year,” Haas explained.

Medical insurance doesn’t cover the expenses since the drug is still illegal under federal law.

So far, Haas said he’s helped five Floridians and has 45 others on the waiting list.

For more information, visit https://rainydayfoundation.net.