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Staff ReportsJanuary 29, 2018

A House bill that would do away with the limit on the number of trauma centers in Florida unanimously cleared its first committee Monday. The bill (HB 1165), sponsored by Republican state Rep. Jay Trumbull of Panama City, was OK’d on a 15-0 vote in the Health Quality Subcommittee. The statewide total of trauma centers is […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 27, 2018

What looks like a loss at first blush is a win for John Morgan in his legal effort to overturn the state’s ban on smoking medical marijuana. A Tallahassee judge on Friday granted the state’s motion to dismiss as to People United for Medical Marijuana, the association-plaintiff, saying it didn’t have the legal standing to […]

Staff ReportsJanuary 5, 2018

New legislation from state Sen. Dana Young aims to “crack down on for-profit stem-cell clinics that are preying on Florida seniors and other vulnerable Floridians,” her office said Friday. The Tampa Republican’s measure (SB 1508) relates to “use of stem cells in a clinic setting.” It would require stem-cell clinics to: — Register with the Department of Health (DOH). […]

Jim RosicaDecember 14, 2017

An epic 238-page lawsuit filed by Joe Redner‘s Florigrown company—replete with references to Encyclopedia Britannica, ancient Roman medical texts and the Nixon White House tapes—alleges that the state is failing its responsibility to carry out the people’s will when it comes to medical marijuana. The complaint was filed Wednesday in Leon County Circuit Civil court […]

Jim RosicaNovember 21, 2017

State regulators have told a South Florida medical marijuana provider to quit selling “unapproved” vaping devices. The Department of Health‘s Office of Medical Marijuana Use sent a “cease and desist” letter Monday to Curaleaf of Miami. It also tells the company to stop “running unapproved advertisements encouraging (its) product to be used in a manner inconsistent” with […]

Jim RosicaNovember 21, 2017

A medical marijuana provider is accusing the Department of Health of dragging its feet on allowing the company to once again sell ‘vaping’ devices. Trulieve this month filed a petition for declaratory statement with the department, which regulates medicinal cannabis through its Office of Medical Marijuana Use. In May, the department told Trulieve to stop selling wire-mesh […]

Jim RosicaNovember 15, 2017

A litany of lawsuits continues to jam up the state’s medical marijuana licensure process, the state’s top marijuana official told House lawmakers Wednesday. Christian Bax, executive director of the state Health Department’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use, gave the House Health Quality Subcommittee an overview of his work, including the latest tally of legal challenges. “(Our) position […]

Jim RosicaOctober 11, 2017

State regulators have rejected a California bank’s proposal to operate in Florida as a financial middleman for medical marijuana-related transactions. The Office of Financial Regulation turned down a request from PayQwick for a declaratory statement so it could operate here. Christian Bax, director of the Department of Health’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use, gave a presentation Wednesday […]

Jim RosicaAugust 23, 2017

Medical marijuana advocate John Morgan has added three more plaintiffs to his lawsuit against the state, filed after lawmakers refused to allow marijuana to be smoked, according to court filings accessed Wednesday. Diana Dodson of Levy County, a cancer patient; Catherine Jordan of Manatee County, who has Lou Gehrig’s disease; and Roberto Pickering of Leon County, […]

Jim RosicaJune 29, 2017

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A Florida nursery that previously filed a protest over the Department of Health’s award of medical marijuana licenses is back in court this week. Tropiflora LLC of Sarasota is asking a judge to delay enforcement of part of the state’s new medical marijuana implementing bill, passed during the recent Special Session. The company filed a motion Monday in […]

Tag: Department of Health
Paula Stark is hosting Buenaventura Lakes' 'first-ever' event to honor veterans.

Trauma center legislation begins its annual trek

Judge allows medical marijuana ‘no smoke’ case to go forward

Dana Young files bill to protect seniors from stem-cell clinics

Joe Redner’s Florigrown files mammoth medical marijuana lawsuit

State to medical marijuana company: Stop selling ‘vaping’ devices

Vape ’em if you got ’em, Trulieve says

Legal challenges bog down medical cannabis process

Regulators shoot down medical marijuana payment proposal

Smoke this: John Morgan adds plaintiffs to marijuana lawsuit

Tropiflora seeks holdup of new medical marijuana implementing bill