Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaApril 11, 2018

A Tallahassee judge has ruled in favor of Tampa strip club mogul Joe Redner in his fight against the state to grow and make juice out of his own medical marijuana. Circuit Judge Karen Gievers‘ order was released Wednesday. The state immediately filed a notice of appeal to the 1st District Court of Appeal. The […]

Staff ReportsApril 10, 2018

Surterra Wellness, a medical marijuana provider, says it’s “joined the fight to allow direct-to-patient sales of full cannabis plants,” according to a Tuesday press release. Surterra filed a “petition to intervene” in an administrative action by Trulieve, another Florida provider, to let medical marijuana treatment centers (MMTCs) “sell whole-plant cannabis.” But Trulieve’s head later on […]

Jim RosicaApril 9, 2018

If a pesticide is good enough for organic crops, it’s good enough to be used on medicinal pot, a Florida medical marijuana provider says. Liberty Health Sciences, a Canadian concern operating in the U.S., last week filed an administrative challenge over a Florida Department of Health proposed rule on marijuana pesticides. Within days, however, both sides agreed to a ceasefire, Division […]

Jim RosicaMarch 9, 2018

[Ed. Note — This story, first posted Thursday, was updated Friday.] Lawmakers on Thursday included a provision to withhold more than $1.9 million in Department of Health salaries and benefits in the final 2018-19 state budget until regulators fully implement medical marijuana. The proviso language, which “qualifies or restricts a specific appropriation,” means certain Health officials will get […]

Jim RosicaMarch 5, 2018

A Tallahassee judge has set a one-day trial for May 16 in the legal effort to overturn the state’s ban on smoking medical marijuana. But in her order, Circuit Judge Karen Gievers said she will first hear the state’s motion for summary judgment at 10 o’clock that morning; summary judgments allow parties to win a case without a […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 5, 2018

Four times, lawmakers on Monday gave the state’s top medical marijuana regulator an opportunity to speak on their objections to rules and regulations on the drug. And four times, Christian Bax said nothing because it wasn’t yet time to do so, he later explained. “The department has 30 days in order to respond,” Bax, director of […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 31, 2018

Rep. Jason Brodeur is telling the state’s top health officials to get to work on medical marijuana—or they won’t get paid. The Sanford Republican has offered an amendment to the House’s 2018-19 budget proposal that would freeze more than $1.9 million in salaries and benefits for the Department of Health‘s brass, including Secretary and state Surgeon General Celeste […]

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 […]

Jim RosicaDecember 18, 2017

A Tallahassee judge will hear argument on whether to throw out Orlando attorney John Morgan‘s lawsuit over the ban on smoking medical marijuana. Circuit Judge Karen Gievers scheduled a Jan. 25 hearing on the state’s motion to dismiss, court records show. The suit originally was filed in July by People United for Medical Marijuana, the political committee behind […]

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 […]

Tag: medicinal cannabis

Tampa’s Joe Redner wins ‘home grow’ marijuana suit

Let us sell whole-plant medical marijuana, company says

Marijuana provider: State’s pesticide regulation too ‘stringent’

Legislature slashing Health Dep’t pay because of medical marijuana delays

Judge sets trial for medical marijuana ‘no smoke’ case

Medical marijuana regulator’s silence vexes lawmakers

Jason Brodeur to Health Dep’t: No pay till progress on marijuana

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

Judge sets hearing in ‘no smoke’ medical marijuana case

Joe Redner’s Florigrown files mammoth medical marijuana lawsuit