Florida Senator Has Big Plans for the State’s Medical Cannabis Program

On Thursday, Senator Rob Bradley (R-Orange Park) introduced a constitutional amendment that would vastly expand Amendment 2, Florida’s medical cannabis program. SB-406 would expand the number of dispensing organizations, medical cannabis treatment centers and qualifying conditions in order to accommodate Florida’s flood of medical cannabis patients.

The bill would amend language in Section 381.986 of Florida statute, as well as change the title to “Compassionate use of low-THC cannabis and marijuana.” The proposed measure would add an additional 20 cannabis operators on top of the seven licensed dispensing organizations that the state government currently allows. The bill would drop the requirement that mandates that doctors see each patient at least 90 days before the doctor can recommend medical cannabis. The bill would also expand each patient’s medical cannabis supply from a 45-day supply to a 90-day supply. Aspiring cannabis doctors would be required to take a four-hour crash course though the Florida Medical Association or the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association.

“In 2014, the Florida Legislature legalized low-THC medical marijuana, and in 2016 expanded the medical marijuana system to provide legal access to marijuana for terminally ill Floridians,” stated Bradley in a press release. “Floridians want even more options, speaking loud and clear at the polls in November by passing Amendment Two. This bill significantly expands the current medical marijuana system to give Floridians the relief they have demanded, and it does so safely and quickly.”

The plan would add five more medical cannabis treatment center licenses after 250,000 patients have registered in the database; five more when 350,000 have registered; another five after 400,000 patients have registered; and five more when 500,000 have registered. The plan also would require five more licenses each time an additional 100,000 more patients have registered.

“I don’t think it’s a significant enough expansion of licenses, nor a quick enough one to serve what’s going to be a quickly growing patient base,” Pollara told CBS News. “It’s not a perfect piece of legislation, but I think it’s a good start considering it’s the first bill released in either chamber.

The proposed plan would allow doctors to recommend medical cannabis for cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV, AIDS, post-traumatic stress disorder, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Crohn’s disease, Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis (MS). Doctors would also have the authority to recommend medical cannabis for other debilitating medical conditions. Pollara strongly objected to the proposed provision which would give authority the state’s Board of Medicine to decide which qualifying illnesses. The debate will continue throughout Florida’s legislative session.