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Jim RosicaJanuary 11, 2019

Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried on Friday said she has now created a position of “Director of Cannabis” under the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. “We will be naming a Director of Cannabis in the coming weeks,” she said in a media availability after Friday’s Cabinet meeting. She is the only Democrat on the panel. “That […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 13, 2018

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A Canadian mining concern this week said it had finalized a deal to merge with Trulieve, a Florida medical marijuana provider. Toronto-based Schyan Exploration Inc. will combine with Trulieve Inc. to become Trulieve Cannabis Corp. It will trade stock publicly in Canada. The agreement was announced Tuesday. The closing date for the transaction is expected […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 8, 2018

MedMen Enterprises Inc. of Los Angeles, the country’s biggest medical marijuana provider, on Friday said it had closed a deal to buy a medical marijuana treatment center license and “related assets” from Central Florida’s Treadwell Nursery. The $53 million deal, first announced in June, includes “prime retail locations with long term leases in Ft. Lauderdale, Miami Beach, West Palm Beach, […]

Jim RosicaAugust 21, 2018

A special panel of lawmakers continues to demand answers from medical marijuana regulators, according to a new letter obtained Tuesday through a public record request. Among the latest queries from the Joint Administrative Procedures Committee (JAPC): The identities of “subject matter experts” that the Department of Health plans to use to evaluate license applications, and whether a rule governing […]

Jim RosicaAugust 13, 2018

As it defends a slew of cases over medical marijuana, the state of Florida has spent close to $2 million on outside lawyers. Nearly all of that went to one firm. Records reviewed last week show at least $1.9 million approved by the Department of Health (DOH) going to two law firms — mostly Vezina, Lawrence & Piscitelli, […]

Jim RosicaAugust 6, 2018

A Tallahassee judge eviscerated the state law on medical marijuana, declaring major provisions to be unconstitutional. The ruling came in a challenge brought by Florigrown, which had been denied a chance to become a “medical marijuana treatment center” (MMTC), or provider. The company is partly owned by Tampa strip club mogul and free speech advocate Joe Redner. […]

Jim RosicaJuly 30, 2018

Updated 1:30 p.m. — Toronto-based Scythian Biosciences Corp. announced on Monday it was buying Cannabis Cures Investments (see below) and renaming itself Sol Global Investments Corp., with that deal expected to close Oct. 15, pending regulatory approval. A press release is here. The original post from earlier Monday is below. __ As the state gets ready to license more providers, another […]

Jim RosicaJuly 23, 2018

Where the big banks say no, Justin Costello is saying ‘yes.’ Foreseeing “a multibillion-dollar industry here,” the head of Seattle-based GRN Funds says his firm has come to Florida to offer banking services to the state’s medical marijuana providers. It already handles about $500 million in deposits for clients in the cannabis industry on the […]

Jim RosicaJuly 19, 2018

The Legislature opened the state’s wallet again Thursday, granting a request from the state’s medical marijuana regulators for another $13 million in operating costs. The approval from the Joint Legislative Budget Commission didn’t come without some grousing, however. The Department of Health, under Gov. Rick Scott, regulates the drug through its Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU). House Democratic […]

Jim RosicaJuly 16, 2018

A Destin lawyer has sued the Department of Health, saying a medical marijuana license preference for black farmers should include “Native American farmers and ranchers.” Donivon Craig Tingle filed suit in Okaloosa County Circuit Civil court last month. The suit was disclosed in a departmental “legal updates” email on Friday — the same day officials said they […]

Tag: medicinal cannabis

Nikki Fried creates new position of ‘Director of Cannabis’

More marijuana dealmaking: Trulieve merging with Canadian company

Done deal: Medical marijuana’s MedMen closes on Florida acquisition

‘Please explain’: Legislative panel again questions marijuana regulators

State has spent $2M on legal bills for medical marijuana

Judge declares parts of medical marijuana law unconstitutional

More money flowing into Florida’s medical marijuana market

Saying ‘yes’ to marijuana money, new bank comes to Florida

Lawmakers grudgingly OK more money for marijuana regulators

Native American farmer suing state over marijuana licenses