Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaDecember 3, 2015

A bill that would allow for stronger varieties of pot as medical marijuana in Florida unanimously cleared its second Senate review panel. The Appropriations Subcommittee on Criminal and Civil Justice OK’d the measure (SB 460) on Thursday. State Sen. Rob Bradley, the Fleming Island Republican behind the bill, said it was aimed at allowing stronger but still non-smokeable marijuana for […]

Jim RosicaNovember 23, 2015

The five nurseries in Florida approved to grow and distribute medical marijuana were announced Monday by the Department of Health, putting an end to a months-long wait by parents and their sick children who need the drug to control severe seizures. The approved nurseries by region are: Hackney Nursery Co. (Northwest) Chestnut Hill Tree Farm (Northeast) Knox Nursery (Central) Alpha […]

Ryan RayNovember 17, 2015

A bill to allow terminally ill patients to use medical marijuana passed its first committee stop in the Senate on Tuesday, hours after a House panel OK’d a similar bill. Debate focused on eliminating roadblocks to care amid nearly two years of delays since a bill to allow low-THC cannabis derivatives was enacted in 2014. […]

Ryan RayNovember 16, 2015

Sen. Jeff Brandes filed new medical marijuana legislation Monday, saying he hopes to implement a “free-market regulatory approach” to legalized medical cannabis. “This legislation recognizes the growing support in Florida for the medicinal use of marijuana as an additional option for physicians in the treatment of their patients,” said Brandes in a prepared statement. “We build on […]

Associated PressNovember 13, 2015

The Florida Supreme Court is canceling a Dec. 8 hearing scheduled to consider a measure to legalize medical marijuana. The court announced the decision Friday. The move comes a few days after Attorney General Pam Bondi said she will not ask the court to block the latest medical marijuana amendment. The Supreme Court is reviewing […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 3, 2015

Jacksonville finally is on the verge of having a Charlotte’s Web bill, addressing cultivation, processing, and dispensing of low-THC cannabis. It comes after a tortuous process that spanned two classes of Jacksonville’s City Council, encompassed five months and two moratoriums, and took three joint workshops between Land Use and Zoning and the Planning Commission this fall. The […]

Phil AmmannOctober 29, 2015

As the Florida House was about to pass the legal guidelines for growing medical pot in our state, an amendment ensured a small group of Florida nurseries would be the only folks allowed to propose handling the crop. The amended bill was signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott in 2014. News reports at the […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 20, 2015

Tuesday’s agenda meeting of the Jacksonville City Council Land Use and Zoning committee shows that the latest iteration of Charlotte’s Web legislation, establishing post-moratorium parameters for the cultivation and dispensing of low-THC cannabis, is in draft form and on track for that committee’s Nov. 3 workshop with the Planning Commission. A sign of the times: […]

Ryan RayOctober 19, 2015

A group of economists representing the executive branch, both houses of the Legislature and various state agencies identified a handful of sticking points – but few if any definitive solutions – when it comes to the possible economic impact of a 2016 ballot initiative legalizing marijuana. Among the issues discussed by the Florida Impact Estimating […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 6, 2015

The first Charlotte’s Web workshop, held jointly by the Planning Commission and the Land Use and Zoning committee of the Jacksonville City Council in August, was less than auspicious. Discussion of “grass stations” and facile comparisons of children who need medicine to recovering heroin addicts waiting for their methadone fixes were the highlights. This time […]

Tag: Charlotte’s Web
Image via AP.

Bill allowing stronger medical marijuana advances in House

Plagued by delays, Fla. Health Department awards licenses to grow medical pot

“Right to Try” expansion bill adding medical marijuana passes Senate panel

Jeff Brandes files bill to scrap, replace state medical marijuana law

Supreme Court cancels December hearing on medical marijuana

Jacksonville holds final Charlotte’s Web workshop

Halsey Beshears tangled up in Charlotte’s Web

A look at Jacksonville’s Charlotte’s Web legislation, in draft form

State economists deliberate over fiscal impact of medical marijuana amendment

Jacksonville’s second MMJ workshop leads to draft ordinance for Charlotte’s Web