Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Drew WilsonNovember 8, 2018

The leading medical marijuana distributor in the Sunshine State is setting up shop in California and Massachusetts by way of a couple major acquisitions: Leef Industries and Life Essence. Trulieve announced on Thursday that it had entered into agreements to acquire 100 percent of both companies. Before they are official, the purchases must receive regulatory […]

Jim RosicaNovember 1, 2018

Following the feds’ lead, Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday issued an emergency rule allowing a new drug for child epilepsy patients that contains CBD, a ‘non-euphoric’ chemical from cannabis. Bondi’s filing with the Secretary of State notes there are now about “64 patients in the state of Florida who are legally using an FDA-approved […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorOctober 25, 2018

The medical marijuana treatment provider Surterra Wellness opened its 12th Florida location in St. Petersburg Thursday. The Medical Marijuana Treatment Center is located at 2001 Fourth Street on one of the city’s busiest thoroughfares. State Senator Jeff Brandes called the new dispensary “the Apple Store of cannabis.” Unlike other treatment centers, Surterra designed all of […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 27, 2018

Representatives of medical marijuana provider Surterra were joined by members of the Clay County Chamber of Commerce on Thursday for a ribbon cutting that seemed implausible a couple of years ago. Clay County was cautious in allowing medical cannabis dispensaries to open, but the conservative Northeast Florida county eventually saw benefit. In October 2017, the city of […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 21, 2018

Saying a lower-court judge “misconstrued the plain language of Florida’s Medical Marijuana Amendment,” the state is asking an appellate court to reverse her ruling allowing Tampa strip club mogul Joe Redner to grow and make juice of his own medical marijuana. Outside counsel for the Department of Health filed an initial brief Thursday in its appeal at […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 14, 2018

The state constitution “creates a procedural right to seek treatment with smokable marijuana,” according to a new filing in an appeal by patients seeking to light up medicinal cannabis. Attorney Jon Mills filed a 48-page answer brief late Thursday, in response to the state’s 57-page brief last month arguing that the smoking of medical marijuana […]

Scott PowersSeptember 10, 2018

Voters who support Florida’s medical marijuana law and especially those who support further legalization of marijuana appear to be lifting Nikki Fried into the lead in the Florida Agriculture Commissioner’s race, according to a new poll. Fried, the Democrat, leads among all voters surveyed last week by St. Pete Polls, getting 47 percent of the support of […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 5, 2018

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, a Democrat facing a tough battle for re-election, filed a bill Wednesday that could help him with a key demographic: veterans seeking relief through medical cannabis. Federal law bars VA doctors from prescribing medical marijuana to veterans. That’s not right. I just filed a bill to let these doctors prescribe medical marijuana […]

Michael MolineAugust 20, 2018

Freshly fired as a Wells Fargo bank customer for taking campaign cash from the medical marijuana industry, Agriculture Commissioner candidate Nikki Fried on Monday envisioned a state-sponsored bank to work with cannabis providers. During a news conference outside the Capitol office she would occupy if she secures the Democratic nomination and wins in November, Fried supported […]

Jim RosicaAugust 9, 2018

Gary Stein, a medical marijuana historian and advocate, has opened his own Florida fundraising panel — the first of its kind — to support pro-marijuana candidates and influence legislation. Clarity PAC was officially registered Wednesday as a non-profit corporation and political committee, state records show. Its mission: “To advocate for full legal access to medicinal […]

Tag: cannabis

Trulieve expanding national MMJ footprint with pair of acquisitions

Cannabis chronicles: Pam Bondi OKs new marijuana-based drug

New Surterra Wellness in St. Pete is not your daddy’s head shop

With future looking green, Surterra optimistic about medical cannabis

State asks court to reverse medical marijuana ‘home grow’ ruling

Marijuana smoking ban case smolders in appellate court

Poll: Marijuana legalization support helps Nikki Fried’s Ag. Commish bid

Bill Nelson files bill to get veterans access to medical cannabis

Nikki Fried proposes new bank to serve medical cannabis providers

Medical marijuana advocates start their own PAC