Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaOctober 6, 2015

Two lawmakers – one Republican, one Democrat – expressed frustration Tuesday over the state Health Department’s delay in putting Florida’s lone medical marijuana law into action. In 2014, the state legalized low-THC, or “non-euphoric,” marijuana to help children with severe seizures and muscle spasms. The department is charged with setting up a system to make sure […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 25, 2015

One of three state government officials tapped to dole out licenses for low-THC marijuana in Florida has stepped down. Last month, the Florida Department of Health on Friday announced the members of the “substantive review panel” within the Office of Compassionate Use. Florida legalized low-THC, or “non-euphoric,” marijuana last year to help children with severe muscle […]

Drew WilsonSeptember 22, 2015

A new survey shows teens aren’t smoking as much as they used to, but they are still finding a way to get nicotine. The Florida Youth Tobacco Survey, released Tuesday, found that 6.9 percent of Florida high school students smoked cigarettes, a 1.7-point drop from the 8.6 percent who said they smoked “conventional cigarettes” – […]

Peter SchorschAugust 31, 2015

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It comes as no surprise that support for medical marijuana continues to grow, as discussions surrounding the implementation of the Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act of 2014 continues to heat up. Recently, Sarasota state Representative Greg Steube filed a bill to expand the state’s low THC medical cannabis regime. And a survey was conducted by St. […]

Diane RobertsJuly 6, 2015

No doubt you’re wondering what new ways Florida’s alleged leaders have found to squander taxpayer money, suck up to the rich and further foul Florida’s environment. Well, prepare to be impressed: The Rick Scott administration is suing the feds for trying to protect rivers and wetlands. I mean, why should water get special rights: Does […]

Shannon NickinsonJune 30, 2015

Gov. Rick Scott touted the 2015 state budget as the Keep Florida Working budget. While that remains to be seen, one thing seems clear: It sure isn’t the Keep Florida Healthy budget. One of the casualties of Scott’s veto pen was the Florida Association of Free and Charitable Clinics, a nonprofit based in St. Petersburg […]

Guest AuthorJune 25, 2015

Now the Special Session is finally over and the Legislature finally finished the budget they worked on long into the night. They handed it to the governor so he could have his way with it and put his pen to paper, signing it into law with one hand and slashing it with his veto pen […]

Guest AuthorJune 8, 2015

This is a story about pediatric cancer clusters in Florida. It begins in Durham, N.C., at Duke University, where Dr. David Banks is a professor in the Department of Statistical Science. In 2013 Dr. Banks was the new editor of Statistics and Public Policy, a journal of the American Statistical Association. In early February, Banks […]

Guest AuthorMay 19, 2015

The thyroid gland is the small butterfly-shaped gland at the front of the neck just below the Adam’s apple. It produces thyroid hormones that regulate the body’s metabolism. Thyroid cancer has captured the interest of epidemiologists because of its strong association to environmental factors. According to statistics, there is a lot more thyroid cancer in […]

Christine Jordan SextonApril 29, 2015

With little fanfare, the Senate on Wednesday approved appointees to the boards of medicine, nursing, podiatry, dentistry, chiropractic medicine and physical therapy, among others. The boards are located within the Florida Department of Health and are charged with regulating health care professionals. The Senate had not, however, moved to confirm the Secretary of the Florida […]

Tag: Florida Department of Health
Naples Mayor Teresa Heitmann mugshot. Image via Collier County Jail.

Lawmakers irked over delays in medical pot law

State worker leaves pot panel, CPA license was ‘inactive’

Teen smoking rates at all-time low

Challenging traditional views of medical marijuana with compassion

Diane Roberts: Top state pols defend Florida’s right to filthy water

Shannon Nickinson: Rick Scott vetoes hurt health care for poor

Gary Stein: What have tax cuts really accomplished?

Alan Farago: Florida Department of Health failing to respond to credible reports of cancer clusters

Alan Farago: Demand answers on thyroid cancer clusters affecting South Florida children

Senate OKs DOH appointees, but not chief