The House committee overseeing Florida’s rules and regulations will likely have to give their blessing before a low-THC marijuana framework can be put in place. But some lawmakers don’t think it will be a stumbling block.
Often the legislature delegates a law’s implementation to a state agency. But if official estimates suggest it will cost private businesses more than a million dollars over the next five years to comply, the rules have to go back to the legislature for ratification. Health officials say rules for low-THC marijuana will likely follow that path, but Rep. Lake Ray (R-Jacksonville) isn’t so sure.
“By the way, we’re not certain that Charlotte’s Web will have to come back to us.” Ray says. Charlotte’s Web is a popular brand of low-THC marijuana oil that has become synonymous with the issue.
“It depends on what that final assessment is,” Ray continues, “so as it moves forward we’ll know exactly where we are, and we’ll be able to move it through, and pass it right out, and it will be placed into law immediately.”
Health department officials will meet in February with nurserymen and other stakeholders. If the framework they develop does require ratification, it will need to pass the Senate as well.
