A few months back I wrote a post about Florida’s first attempt at legal marijuana with the Charlotte’s Web law. It is a law that allows the Charlotte’s Web low THC strain of marijuana to be grown and prescribed to terminally ill patients and epileptic children. Since then it has been a roller coaster ride for this law and we haven’t come close to the ride being over.
Back in July the Florida Department of Health finally accepted a total of 28 applications from nurseries all around the state hoping to grow the first legal marijuana in the state of Florida. Originally these nurseries would be chosen through a lottery system – but due to the legal challenges that originally pushed back the implementation of this law we are still waiting.
Three months have passed since the Department of Health took up those applications and yet they are still claiming that they cannot give an estimated timeline for when the five winners will be chosen. This is bringing a lot of frustration to patients and families alike who have been waiting for this for over a year and a half now.
Rep. Greg Stube of Sarasota is one of many who feel this way – and he has been sure to have his opinion known and known well. “I mean, it’s been almost two years since this bill was passed. And we still don’t have any restitution for these children that are trying to get this drug that the legislature recognizes is something that is needed for the state of Florida,” said Stube.
The number one concern for many in Florida is getting this much needed medication to the epileptic children in need. Cannabis oil has proven to be one of the best possible treatments for children with epilepsy as it can reduce seizures from hundreds a day to little to none. Yet 18 months after this law was passed we have yet to see any real progress.
While families await the approval of these nurseries in order for the low-THC strain to even start to be grown, they can at least take the time to look into finding a doctor who can prescribe the medicine. A total of 50 doctors have passed the 8 hour educational course on the proper steps to prescribing the Charlotte’s web strain.
At this rate, we may see John Morgan’s medical marijuana initiative hit the ballots and be voted in before the state ever gets anywhere.
