Report: UF just says no to medical marijuana partnerships

charlottes-web-marijuana

A medical marijuana grower may have told a Senate panel last week he was working with University of Florida scientists, but a university spokeswoman now says that’s not the case, according to a report by public broadcasting affiliate WUFT-TV and FM.

Robert Wallace, owner of Chestnut Hill Tree Farm in Alachua, on Wednesday told senators on the Regulated Industries Committee he was “working with” the university’s researchers “to develop and distribute medical marijuana by summer, and that he will donate a portion of his proceeds to the university for research,” the report said.

But university spokeswoman Rosanna Passaniti disputed that assertion, suggesting it could jeopardize the school’s independence.

“We’re not aware of any UF researchers or scientists, or of any UF Health Shands employees working independently with Mr. Wallace,” Passaniti told WUFT. “Our employees must abide by work policies established to ensure outside activities and financial interests do not represent a conflict of interest with respect to their role at the university or hospital system.”

Its report added:

Janine Sikes, assistant vice president of UF media relations and public affairs, also said the university has no affiliation with Wallace. She said federal law prohibits the possession, cultivation, manufacturing and distribution of marijuana, which also means UF is prohibited from doing so.

WUFT’s story said Wallace “hung up the phone” on one of its reporters calling for his comment.

A video of Wallace speaking to the committee is online in The Florida Channel’s video library and can be watched here. Fast forward to 54:35.

Staff Reports


One comment

  • Bill Monroe

    January 18, 2016 at 3:55 pm

    The University of Florida is using the $1.2 million tax dollars to test GW Pharmaceuticals CBD oil called Epidiolex. How is that not a partnership, and conflict of interest when a land grant university uses tax dollars to test the effectiveness of a foreign corporate pharmaceutical firm? The $1.2 million was suppose to test the grower’s CBD oil and not a corporations pharmaceutical drug. What we have is corporate welfare funded by American tax payers testing a product from England.

Comments are closed.


#FlaPol

Florida Politics is a statewide, new media platform covering campaigns, elections, government, policy, and lobbying in Florida. This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media.

Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL

Contributors & reporters: Phil Ammann, Drew Dixon, Roseanne Dunkelberger, A.G. Gancarski, Anne Geggis, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, Cole Pepper, Gray Rohrer, Jesse Scheckner, Christine Sexton, Drew Wilson, and Mike Wright.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @PeterSchorschFL
Phone: (727) 642-3162
Address: 204 37th Avenue North #182
St. Petersburg, Florida 33704




Sign up for Sunburn


Categories