Florida lawmakers will consider a series of proposals to implement the new constitutional amendment to expand the use of medical marijuana in a Senate committee meeting held next week.
The Florida Senate Health Policy Committee will take up a proposal to regulate Florida’s medical marijuana industry on Monday. The bill, SB 406, would outlaw smoking medical marijuana and would limit medical marijuana for Florida residents only.
On Friday, bill sponsor Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, filed eight different amendments to alter his original proposal.
One of the new amendments would create a coalition for medical marijuana research through Tampa’s H. Lee Moffitt Center and Research Institute, one of the top medical research centers in the state.
The goal of the coalition, according to the amendment, is to conduct “rigorous scientific research,” and to “guide policy” for the adoption of a statewide policy on ordering and dosing practices for medical marijuana.
An education board, appointed by Dr. Alan List, the chief executive officer of the Moffitt Cancer Center, will adopt a plan for medical marijuana research in Florida. By Feb. 15 of each year, the board would need to report to the governor, the Senate President and the Speaker of the House on research projects, community outreach initiatives and future plans of the coalition in regards to medical marijuana.
Another amendment would require the Department of Health to have computer software system to track marijuana from “seed to sale,” following pot as it’s planted and distributed to patients statewide.
A separate amendment would require an independent laboratory to test medical marijuana before it is distributed to suffering patients in Florida.
Bradley’s original proposal would also place caps on the number of marijuana dispensaries, expanding the number of businesses by five when the state has 250,000 patients, 350,000 patients, 400,000 patients and then every 100,000 thereafter.
At least one of the five dispensaries would have to be a black-owned company according to a new amendment.
Bradley's bill would max out at 20 companies providing medical pot to patients once the registry hits 500,000.
Florida For Care, one of the state’s leading pro-medical marijuana groups, advised members of the public to show up at the hearing on Monday.
“Come to Tallahassee and let the Florida Senate know that you want to see a responsible implementing bill that serves the will of the 71 percent and provides strong patient access statewide,” wrote executive director Ben Pollara.
Pollara and other pot advocates have been frustrated with some of the legislation moving through the Capitol this year. This week, the Florida House passed a more restrictive proposal to regulate the industry which would ban smokeable and edible marijuana.
Pollara criticized the legislation for catering to anti-pot groups like Drug Free America Foundation and referred to the bill as a “slap in the face” to Florida voters who overwhelmingly passed Amendment 2 last fall.
"The notion that folks like Fay, the Semblers and DFAF are helping to write this legislation and potentially receiving a $500,000 appropriation to 'educate' Floridians on medical marijuana makes me sick to my stomach," Pollara said.
The Senate Health Policy Committee meeting begins at 4 p.m. Monday.
Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.
