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Politics

Rick Scott Signs Medical Marijuana Bill Into Law

March 25, 2016 - 5:45pm

Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill Friday to expand Florida’s “Right To Try” compassionate use registry to allow terminally ill patients to use medical marijuana. 

The bill, which was one of the most hotly-debated pieces of legislation during this year’s regular session in Tallahassee, overwhelmingly won the approval of state lawmakers earlier this month. 

The bill, HB 307, would create new regulations for medical marijuana use in the Sunshine State. Floridians who have less than a year to live would be able to use certain non-smokable forms of medical marijuana.

Only physicians can put patients on the compassionate use registry. Physicians would have to participate in an 8-hour course and an exam offered by the Florida Medical Association or the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association that teaches physicians the clinical indications for the appropriate use of medical cannabis.

Any patient under the age of 18 would need a second opinion from another physician to determine whether medical marijuana was right for them.

The course would also cover “appropriate” cannabis delivery mechanisms as well as the federal laws about medical marijuana. The exam would be administered at least annually, according to the proposal.

The legislation would also provide for five dispensing operations to make medical marijuana accessible to patients. The five dispensaries would be located in Florida’s five different regions: northwest Florida, northeast Florida, central Florida, southeast Florida and southwest Florida. 

Dispensaries would have to show they had the technology and technical ability to produce medical cannabis. They’d also have to have a valid certificate from the Florida Department of Agriculture, which would allow them to cultivate over 400,000 plants.

Rep. Katie Edwards, D-Plantation, praised the governor for his signature of the new bill. 

“I’m optimistic we’re going to see progress now, with the very real opportunity for more patients to find relief now that this bill has become law,” Edwards said. “People facing a terminal prognosis deserve all options to ease suffering and improve their quality of life. That’s why we passed the Right to Try Act last year, and that’s why adding medical marijuana to the options available to doctors and patients is the right thing to do.”
 
Edwards was a key figure in the passage in 2014 of the Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act, which allowed cannabis with very low psychoactive properties to be prescribed to patients with conditions such as epilepsy known to respond to a specific, non-intoxicating element of marijuana. 

The Right to Try Act in 2015 made drugs awaiting final regulatory approval available under very limited circumstances to terminal patients.

This is a breaking story. Check back for updates. 

Comments

The Florida Marijuana market : "The Florida medical marijuana bill remains at five growers, and is proceeding to the Governor to be signed. Let’s take a look at one of the growers Alpha Foliage assigned the Southwest Region. Originally, Florida would be split into five regions, a grower assigned to each region, and they could only sell in their region. That was changed over time where each grower could sell throughout the state of Florida regardless of region. Why we still have regions is an artifact of the original plan. It only relates now to the five licenses, and how they were originally assigned to regions. Alpha Foliage is merely a vessel for one of the five licenses. Colorado based company MJardin operating within the January 1st, 2015 formed company Surterra Florida LLC is really in control, monetizing operations, supplying their own people, bringing in their own genetics, and managing cultivation. The CEO of MJardin is Colorado businessman Adam Cohen who is also a member of the Surterra company, and has a home in the Miami area. The five principals of Surterra Florida, LLC include Alex Havenick CEO of pari-mutual Magic City operating in the Miami-Dade and Broward County, Adam Cohen CEO of MJardin, Wes Van Dyk, Daniel Simon, and R Jake Bergman. Jake Bergman is the co-founder and CEO of Surterra Holdings, Inc. a cannabis based therapeutics company seeded by Wall Street Hedge Fund firm Vakyrie Capital. Surterra applied for four out of the five production licenses in Florida. Jake was at one time an investment banking analyst at Suntree Robin Humphrey, but now has plans to take Surterra throughout Florida and into Georgia and Alabama. Their plan is to capture the entire production market in the south. Florida is acting as a model for how to capture the other southern states. What I find very interesting is Alexander Hecht Havenick is even involved in cannabis. Why? Typically, gambling boards are very tight with licenses, and want no involvement with licenses or crime. In Las Vegas gambling institutions are forbidden from operating in the cannabis industry. The fact that Havenick, who owns the Florida based billion dollar company Magic City, which operates 796 slot machines, employs 560 full-time employees, is a principal in Surterra, which openly states it is a cannabis therapeutics company, is even involved in a cannabis business. This is extremely risky behavior as the Florida gambling board could rescind his gambling license. After all cannabis is still federally Schedule I. What would Attorney General Pam Bondi do if she found out? It appears that MJardin, operating under the Florida company Surterra, aims to corner the Florida production market by controlling all the cannabis production under each grower. Cohen has a law degree from the University of Colorado, and is licensed to practice in Florida. Cohen’s other two partners are John Fritzel and James Lowe. Fritzel holds several cannabis licenses in Colorado, while Lowe has a background in facility design and cultivation services according to MJardin’s web page. What MJardin offers to the Florida growers is a turn-key cultivation and processing service to licensed Florida cannabis businesses. The five license holders merely partner with Colorado company MJardin who then steps in, installs their Colorado people, imports bulk materials, and puts the operation in place. MJardin is paid a percentage of the pounds produced per month. Representative Gaetz and Senator Bradley are in effect providing state protection to five growers, while an out-of-state Colorado company comes in and corners the entire Florida production market. The growers put up the land and building, with profits dependent on what MJardin produces and sells. Hedge Fund Valkyrie Capital, LLC Chief Operating Officer (CEO) is also Jake Bergmann, who is also CEO of Surterra. Valkyrie Capital Hedge Fund has offices in Georgia, Alabama and New York. Who are the people invested in secretive hedge fund Valkyrie Capital? Good question as the web page entry point is password protected. In summary, we have a secret hedge fund operating in several states, unknown investors, a shell company called Surterra, a Colorado production company capturing the entire Florida production market, all protected by Representative Matt Gaetz and Senator Rob Bradley. A nice clean cannabis oligarchy package, wrapped in ribbons, handed over to secretive hedge fund investors." Bill Monroe Florida for Medicinal Marijuana

Did you really expect anything but from our legislature and unindicted criminal governor?

Please look me up on FB.

The Cannabis Model for the Southern States Surterra Holdings is a Hedge Fund that holds the patents, trademarks, for various cannabis businesses. They are well funded with close to $100 million in the hedge fund. Their business model is to approach Representatives and Senators in the southern states to include Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and Louisiana. Jake Bergman CEO convinces law makers to set up five or six vertically integrated businesses with maybe two or three growers, processors,and distributors. Bergman has convinced law makers that by keeping the group small it is not a burden on law enforcement to oversee, nor is it a burden on the state bureaucracy to oversee the licensing process and enforcement of the licensing process. Bergman pushes for a 1:1 THC to CBD ratio as being a limit for THC. Bergman uses all the above arguments, and states this is a patient focused approach. Watch for those two code words "patient focused", which decoded means we own everything from seed to sale, to distribution, to production. There is no competition, or small business allowed. Bergman has convinced Representative Peake of Georgia this should be the Georgia approach, and they have already implemented this business model in Florida via Representative Gaetz and Senator Bradley. Florida is merely a part of a larger plan to control the market via this business model. If you have the funds you can invest in Valkyrie Hedge Fund.

​ The Treasure Coast Alliance, which represents 12 Senators (With the exception of Jeff Brandes) who voted No on allowing cannabis for PTSD just contributed $150,000 to Representative Matt Gaetz, who is leaving office and running for Congress. They are paving the way financially for Gaetz. Representative Matt Gaetz ' s financial contributions of the last six months with regard to finding data on the growers and contributions. Here it is. Surterra Holdings (Alpha Foliage) $10,000 Costa Farms $10,000 Costa Farms $25,000 Total $45,000 from two growers

The following is research by Bill Monroe, a proactive member of NORML of Florida. Anyone who still believes that our Legislators designed and passed the so-called 'Compassionate Care and Right to Try' bills due to altruistic intent needs to do a bit more research. "In 2014 Representative Caldwell in collusion with the then President of the Florida Landscape and Garden Association (FNGLA) to create rules to exclude small growers. For example, in the closing minutes of the Charlotte's Web Bill Caldwell inserted a rule that only growers who have been in business for 30 years and can grow 400,000 plants can apply for a medical marijuana license, and only five licenses would be granted. Then Representative Gaetz along with Senator Bradley, without citizen input, created additional rules to include a non-refundable $65,000 application fee, five million dollar performance bond, and a requirement for a full time medical director. The Florida Department of Health Compassionate Use Office collected $1.8 million dollars from 28 applicants where only five licenses were awarded. $1.8 million to manage just five grows. About that time MJARDIN, a cannabis grow company, connected with a Tallahassee lobbyist to form a company call Surterra Holdings, which then formed Surterra Therapuetics with Susan Driscoll a prior Coca Cola Director as their manager. The Surrtera Holding company principals include CEO Adam Denmark, and a gentleman who owns a billion dollar gambling operation. Gambling operations and license holders, to my knowledge, are not allowed to be involved in cannabis. Also, the same gentleman is being investigated for illegal activities. Surterra Holdings has a model where they enter the southern states such as Florida, Georgia, and Alabama, convince the law makers to form verticals with three to five business owning the entire market from seed to sale. They sell their narrative in that it is easy for the state's to manage the operations, and reduce law enforcement operations. Small business is excluded. Black and female farmers and operators are excluded. One of the growers Costa Farms handed out over $350,000 in checks to law makers right before the legislative cycle. Senator Clemens tried to expand the market beyond five, but Gaetz and Bradley denied all amendments. Small business is blocked. John Morgan, an Orlando lawyer is fronting Amendment Two, which collected over 600,000 voter signatures to put a cannabis medical marijuana amendment on the ballot. If Amendment Two passes in November only the five growers, and possibly seven more who filed admin lawsuits, will be allowed to grow. The free market is excluded. Small business is excluded. These growers will control everything from cultivation, to dispensaries, to delivery, to processing,...everything. What Representative Gaetz and Senator Bradley have done is taylor the medical marijuana market for a select few. These same growers have not donated one dime towards Amendment Two, or worked with advocates. In effect they have cornered the market, formed an oligarchy, and via tailored rules and regulations excluded free enterprise and competition. Representative Gaetz collected $35, 000 from Costa Farms, and $10,000 from Surterra Therapeutics. Senator Bradley collected $35,000. Also, the Tampa Times reported another $300,000 was spread out among the Governor and committee members who voted on the rules. I work with central Florida NORML members and others and we are frustrated that the market is being taken over by businesses from Colorado and gambling interests in Florida. "

I agree with you about lawmakers setting up a scam for a very few to make big money off of Medical Cannabis, but disagree with one thing. When A2 passes the wording will increase the Patient base to those for whom a Doctor sees a benefit. That should include at least long term Pain Patients. I too have been involved since the beginning, and unless I missed something in the wording, non-terminal ptients will be allowed. I am with most supporters, it is far from perfect, but it is a step in the right direction. God knows what tally lawmakers will do to screw it up though. No doubt every angle they can block, they will. I am glad you made the underlying corruption of lawmakers open though. They all need to go. Bunch of faux conservatives....

I'm sure he has these five dispensaries all ready set up to line his pockets! !!

Another half step. Ignoring the almost 58% of voter who said yes. Despite Jerryd's miis-informed claim, real medical cannabis is still illegal and getting caught can cost a Patient everything. Vote for real reform. Vote to allow Patients to use cannabis to live. Vote YES on 2. ForThePatients!

This is just a scam to set certain people up in the pot business and exclude others. But let's be clear anyone who really needs pot or ANY drug, it is legal under the Fla constitution. Yes they may arrest you but they can't charge you if you think it is medically needy. It is why they don't prosecute many people who grow their own for medicine. The Fla Supreme Court has ruled on pot twice telling prosecutors not to bring another case back in front of them. Let's vote it into law for everyone in November and some better politicians to lead us. And Clinton came out for legalizing recreational pot today IIRC .

Need to know how my doctor get medical need marjuania for me have epileptic seizures fibromiajia degrenative disease of the sprine asthrama Rhematoid Arth migriana headaches joint pain

Jerry, either you are mis-informed or are spreading a prohibitionist lie for some political reason. Medical Cannabis, real medical cannabis, is not legal in Florida. Despite your statement, Patients can still be arrested, charged and forced to spend thousands in court. They are still subject to forfeiture laws and could lose their home, vehicle and their freedom. We need Amendment 2 to ensure Patients have real access to Medical Cannabis. Please quit spreading a lie and get behind A2. YES on 2. ForThePatients!

Dean Franklin-As much as I, too, wish to see Fl. join with other states and legalize medical marijuana, in this case, Jerry D. is correct. I have supported United for Care since its inception; however, unless/until the categories of medical conditions is expanded, the only folks that will actually benefit are the terminally ill.You may also wish to research how narrowly this bill has been constructed as to which physicians will be able to prescribe and the strictures placed on them. Following is (posted)information from Bill Monroe-one of the members of the FB group,NORML of Florida. (Attention: Gaetz' reply to Mr. Monroe.) "The FDA has stated the ONLY way to make a medical claim is by conducting a clinical trail. If you recall during the passage of the Charlotte's Web law an amendment was included to allow $1.2 million of tax payer dollars to go towards CBD clinical trails at the University of Florida. Now logically one would think that money would be used for clinical trails using Florida grown CBD oil, right? No...Representative Matt Gaetz had that money directed towards GW Pharmaceuticals CBD oil called Epidiolex. I even messaged Representative Gaetz who responded curtly to me "SO WHAT".. Here is the rub. Because the money was used for GW Pharmaceutical ' s oil, and not CBD oil grown by the Florida growers they cannot make any medical claim. If they do then the FDA will shut them down hard. Ironic given the fact Costa Farms paid Gaetz over $45,000 dollars this last cycle. I guess GW Pharmaceuticals paid more. With the passage of this bill only five families will control a $970 million market. Most of these families have contracted out their cultivation to out-of-state cultivators like MJardin from Colorado. Each family controls the entire vertical market to include seeds, cultivation, processing, distribution, delivery, and sales. If Amendment Two passes ,these five families will have an expanded market, but entrepreneurs are still shut out. The Republican Party is supposed to stand for a free market, smaller government, jobs, That does not occur when Representative Gaetz and Senator Bradley pick the winners and the losers by tailoring the parameters of the bill to benefit themselves."« less Representative Gaetz' financial contributions from the last six months with regard to finding data on the (Medical Marijuana) growers selected by the state. Listed are the corporate entities from whom Gaetz received campaign cash. Surterra Holdings (Alpha Foliage) $10,000 Costa Farms $10,000 Costa Farms $25,000 Total $45,000 from two growers Who benefits from this bill? This list is not all inclusive. 1. MJardin cultivators out of Colorado working for Alpha Foliage. 2. Alexander Heche Havenick of Magic City Casino invested with Alpha Foilage 3. Lobbyists Ron Book, Brian Bullard, and William Rubin invested with growers 4. Thad Beshears brother of Representative Halsey Beshears - Hackney Nursery 5. Dr. Ken Brummel-Smith former chair of Florida State Department of Geriatrics 6. Jason Pernell who owns dispensaries in California and Oregon invested with Hackney Nursery. The above were sourced from the Tallahassee Democrat online paper. Also, don't forget about the $270,000 paid out by Costa Farms right before this legislative cycle.

Just a few of the corporate entities who helped fill Mr. Gaetz' coffers. http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/story/gambling-greased-palms-litter-legislative-leaders#sthash.kSzEzO8c.dpuf "Gaetz, who hopes he'll be headed to the Senate later in the year, gutted Diaz's original House bill, added casinos, decoupled everything in sight and left it to the Seminoles to fight their own battles with competition they don't want. Gaetz is House Finance and Tax Committee chair. He sits on the Regulatory Affairs Committee, too. And he has swagger to burn. Casinos probably should have cut him a bigger piece of the pie. Here's what he received, mostly put into his Economic Freedom Foundation: $10,000 from Hartman & Tyner; $7,500 from Resorts World Miami; $5,000 each from the Seminole Tribe of Florida and Calder Race Course; $2,500 each from Florida Thoroughbred Breeders & Owners and Derby Lane St. Petersburg Kennel Club; and $1,000 each from Fontainbleu and Washington County Kennel Club. http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/romano-putting-a-price-on-compassion-in-medical-marijuana-debate/2268340 ### "Tallahassee rigged the books so only a handful of major farming groups would have a shot at what promises to be a very lucrative business. "...instead of adding medical conditions such as multiple sclerosis, ALS and post-traumatic stress disorder to the list of eligible conditions, the Senate passed a watered-down bill under the guise that House lawmakers wouldn't go for anything else. And then they congratulated themselves on their compassion.Costa Farms, one of the five anointed growers, had steered $270,000 into the political committees of some of the Legislature's major players in December and January." http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/romano-putting-a-price-on-compassion-in-medical-marijuana-debate/2268340 ###

Jerryd, I pray to Jesus that your daughter comes down with a life ending disease and she is in pain!

You wouldn't know what a prayer is , you Moron.

Now, THERE's a typical vicious, hateful, Liberal Democrat reply...! (You wouldn't want to put them in charge of the "Camps"...or the Country !)

I agree. I don't wish any of this on anyone. I wish the lawmakers would simply listen to the people who are affected by this issue. They know more than most

Foolish. So I guess adding more poisonous products to your body is a good thing.

Ron, you are some mis-informed. Cannabis is not a poison and is actually one of the most benign substances on God's green earth.

Yeah, when it's made into a hemp rope (unless you are a "cattle rustler"...)

As usual, you're wrong. But, you are probably used to that by now. History, medical studies, etc all show cannabis doesn't harm the body when used in moderation. Although, I am pretty sure you could care less about truth or facts. You're a prohibitionist plain and simple.

As if GOP loser R on knows more that doctors. I also pray to Jesus you come down with a life threatening disease and you are in pain every second!

Only a Socialist, Clinton supporter would think that they could actually pray for harm to befall someone. GOD and Jesus don't answer foolish requests from Devil worshipers, they rebuke them.

Take your meds and go to bed. You're one sick ahole.

As a Seller of Travel PR Marketing Destinations Travel Agency since 1999 the news that folks can travel for Medical tourism to our great Sunshine State to get the help they choose and with peace of mine. Travel Green Florida Inc. promotes the Power of Travel "POT" Community which supports local towns.

The question is why does the press only talk about democrats and Republicans? http://www.cfabamerica.com/should-marijuana-be-legalized-why-and-why-not When you vote in the 2016 election for the president or United State senate, ask yourself three questions: Did the candidate serve our country and risk his/her life to protect our freedom? Does the candidate have an education concerning how to teach the children of tomorrow? Does the candidate represent the views of 92% of Americans that believe in God? Charles Frederick Tolbert EdD, pastor, retired MSGT and Vietnam veteran For US Senate Florida Citizens for A Better America (CFABA) Www.cfabamerica.com http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/story/blunt-force-crush-floridians%E2%80%99-opposition-marijuana?utm_source=Constant%20Contact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Morning%20Lead&utm_source=March+3%2C+2016&utm_campaign=Morning+Lead+8%2F27&utm_medium=email

Chuck, You still here? GO TRUMP!

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