[iBogart]

Florida committee decides Amendment 2 doesn’t include smoking, vaping, edibles

Bill also caps number of growers at the current number of seven, and maintains a 90-day waiting period for patients

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A bill to implement Florida’s medical marijuana constitutional amendment has passed its first committee in the state’s House of Representatives.

The bill (HB 1397) passed the Health Quality Subcommittee on Tuesday. It must go through two more committees before reaching the House floor.

Rep. Ray Rodrigues’ bill would largely keep in place the regulatory structure set up the past three years, including keeping the number of growers at the current number of seven, maintaining a 90-day waiting period before patients can receive cannabis and banning smoking, vaping and edibles.

Supporters of Amendment 2, which was approved by 71 percent of voters last November, say the bill goes against the spirit of the amendment.

The Senate is considering five bills before deciding on a consensus of where to proceed.

The Sun Sentinel reports that the bill sponsor, state Rep. Ray Rodrigues, R-Estero, said he wrote the bill keeping in mind the current federal climate.

“If there’s a robust regulatory scheme, the federal government will not put their resources into enforcing federal law,” Rodrigues said. “I believe this is a measured approach to faithfully implement Amendment 2.”

https://www.thecannabist.co/2017/03/2...#disqus_thread

[SaltyWarDog]

Originally Posted by iBogart

Florida committee decides Amendment 2 doesn’t include smoking, vaping, edibles

Bill also caps number of growers at the current number of seven, and maintains a 90-day waiting period for patients

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A bill to implement Florida’s medical marijuana constitutional amendment has passed its first committee in the state’s House of Representatives.

The bill (HB 1397) passed the Health Quality Subcommittee on Tuesday. It must go through two more committees before reaching the House floor.

Rep. Ray Rodrigues’ bill would largely keep in place the regulatory structure set up the past three years, including keeping the number of growers at the current number of seven, maintaining a 90-day waiting period before patients can receive cannabis and banning smoking, vaping and edibles.

Supporters of Amendment 2, which was approved by 71 percent of voters last November, say the bill goes against the spirit of the amendment.

The Senate is considering five bills before deciding on a consensus of where to proceed.

The Sun Sentinel reports that the bill sponsor, state Rep. Ray Rodrigues, R-Estero, said he wrote the bill keeping in mind the current federal climate.

“If there’s a robust regulatory scheme, the federal government will not put their resources into enforcing federal law,” Rodrigues said. “I believe this is a measured approach to faithfully implement Amendment 2.”

https://www.thecannabist.co/2017/03/2...#disqus_thread

Mel Sember the addiction clinic owner is ruining it all. The Senate has a good bill they are looking at but the House is so jacked up.
I know they are all bribed but the house of representatives is at a new level

[dddaver]

Our esteemed Dept of Health has determined only terminal patients diagnosed to be within one year of death qualify for mmj. That is not what Amd. 2 says. If my interpretation is not the case, could someone please enlighten this illiterate? Or is Florida Dept of Health breaking the law? It can only be one or the other. Either Amd. 2 says only terminal patients qualify, or they are breaking the law. Which?

[Mycelium_mind]

They are breaking the law to keep our new Attoney General and the already exiting FL cannabis monopoly happy

[dddaver]

Florida Republicans Squelch the Voice of the People



https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/25/o...he-people.html


Florida voters who heartily approved important amendments to the state Constitution can only wonder how the will of the people is being strangled by the obstructionist toils of the Republican-led Legislature.
Lawmakers insist they are merely refining details for measures approved by voters on the environment, medical marijuana, solar power, education and anti-gerrymandering rules affecting their own districts. But it’s increasingly clear that legislators are trying to foil and blunt the ballot-approved initiatives.
In the case of the amendment to expand access to medical marijuana, approved last November by 71 percent of the voters, Republican lawmakers are proposing tighter rules on doctors’ prescriptions, as well as other obstacles for patients who want to use medical marijuana.

Similarly, a constitutional amendment to expand the use of solar power, which drew 73 percent approval last year, has been met by a raft of obstructionist proposals that would bog down rooftop solar installation. They include rules language drafted by the state’s major utility, Florida Power & Light. This isn’t healthy legislative give-and-take, as supporters claim. It is transparent homage to the powerful utility and its generous political contributions.


The anti-gerrymandering amendment, which calls for strictly nonpartisan drawing of legislative district lines, struck fear into politicians after 63 percent of voters approved it in 2010. It’s been marked by years of expensive, bare-knuckle resistance by a Legislature determined to draw the voting map in ways that favor incumbents.
Republican lawmakers now propose to dig in further by restricting the time period for legal challenges to new district maps. They would also subject judges who reject party machine maps to cross-examination during appeals — a move as vindictive as it is unconstitutional, and an insult to voters who approved a mandate for cleaner politics.
Other threatened initiatives include a land and water conservation amendment approved in 2014, designed to preserve open space and improve water quality. House Republicans propose to raid it for $22 million in subsidies to farmers, who are already well taken care of. A long fight to restrict class size in schools, which voters thought they had settled by amendment, also is being undermined.
Ballot initiatives can be an inefficient way to govern. But voters resort to them because elected officials will not act on issues the public cares about. And when these officials respond to the decisive voice of the people with regressive machinations, they should themselves be dealt with at the ballot box.

[dddaver]

I went to the doctor this morning to get some blood drawn. They asked me if I wanted MMJ. I have cerebral ataxia. They said there was a one time charge of $390 for a card then $90 for some oil. Vaporization only. I said no thanks. The nurse said she believes the program is named tory?

Edit: The nurse apparently gave me false information. According to the FL Department of Health website a Compassionate Use Card is actually $75. A little oil for $90 sounds about right from these idiots here. And since I live in northern FL I think I'd probably have to go to Tallahassee to find a dispensary to buy the oil. That 'vaporizing only' thing is apparently true. My vaporizer only vaporizes flowers, but I don't care anyway. I don't want their garbage. Also, I have no idea what she was talking about saying "tory?" Whatever, absolute trash... the whole thing.

[arizona45631]

Medical marijuana that's smokable is being sold in Florida, despite objections

[dddaver]

Originally Posted by arizona45631

Medical marijuana that's smokable is being sold in Florida, despite objections

Not sure I know what you mean. Do you mean there are dispensaries selling flowers? That might be worth getting a card.

But there has always been, and will always be, even if weed was legalized, a thriving black market in Florida. And any weed bought can be considered MMJ. It's not like there are specific, only MMJ strains. Although that's apparently what they want people to think. Like Charlotte's web. It's just a strain with high CBD.

But ultra conservative northern Florida, where the legislature is, is very different than the more liberal southern counties. Still I don't think any flowers are being sold at the dispensaries in Tallahassee.

Although that might be a good idea. Arrest them, then let the courts sort out if they should abide by the will of the people, or just let some rich fat cats just get richer. I think it would very likely come out in the people's favor. Let Morgan put his money where his mouth is and defend pro-bono. That might help his gubernatorial bid too.

[dddaver]

I actually thought FL was leading the way of breaking this southern block and joining the 21st century with the rest of the country. So did 71% of voters. Boy, were we wrong.

The legislature here is not only ignoring the MMJ desires of the people but ignoring the overwhelming majority vote allowing for competition in the solar industry that we voted for.

Disheartening, eye-opening, reality check. They broke my bs meter. Pinged right off the dial.

Expect landslide losses during the next elections, if those are even counted right.

[SaltyWarDog]

the senate bill was better the house bill was crap. Ben Pollar from florida for care and John Morgan had a falling out. Morgan wanted to keep the monoploy for the current growers. Ben wanted to cap store fronts to 5 a piece. Ben could also be playing us right into Rick Scotts hands as the Dept of Health will decide the rules.
Good thing is law suits will be easier since it's not law