Florida picks 22 applicants for medical marijuana treatment centers

The state has released the latest winners in Florida’s growing medical marijuana industry.

The Florida Department of Health’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use disclosed the 22 companies who have been sent letters of intent for approval for their licenses to open medical marijuana treatment centers. The 22 incoming organizations would nearly double the current number of licenses operating in Florida.

A total of 74 organizations initially filed applications in April 2023 to get the licenses, which required a new $146,000 nonrefundable application fee to the state.

The Tampa Bay Times reported on the delays in Florida issuing medical marijuana licenses.

The state posted the 22 selected applicants this week after voters rejected the ballot initiative to approve recreational marijuana on the Nov. 5 ballot.

“Once we knew that Amendment 3 was going to be on the ballot, everybody in the industry just traveled under the assumption that we weren’t going to learn anything before the election,” cannabis attorney Jonathan Robbins told the Times.

To pass, Amendment 3 needed at least 60% of the vote but only received about 56% as Gov. Ron DeSantis lobbied against the measure.

“The way the amendment is written, they’re saying you have a constitutional right to possess and smoke marijuana,” DeSantis said on the campaign trail. “That’s different than what Colorado did or California did.”

Medical marijuana is a booming industry in the state.

Florida had projected more than 1 million people to qualify and register for medical marijuana treatment this year

The 22 applicants are:

— A Good Decision 

— Alamanda Farms

— East Coast Packers

— FG Operating Florida

— Florida Sports Consultants, Inc. d/b/a Belushi’s Farm Florida 

— Gates Housing Group

— Global Investment Group, Inc. d/b/a Infinite Wellness 

— Green Point Research

— Healing Greene FL

— KCOF, LLC d/b/a KLUTCH Cannabis

— King Palms

— O’Donnell Landscapes

— Pioneer Growers of Florida

— Pure Beauty Farms

— RAAB, LLC d/b/a Canna Direct 

— Star Buds Florida

— Statewide Property Holdings FL

— STIIIZY Florida

— Sunfest Herbs

— The Flower Shop FL

— Theory Wellness of Florida

— Wachovia Holdings, LLC d/b/a Greenlight