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Medical Marijuana Advocates Undeterred As Senate Bill Dies

Medical Marijuana advocates United for Care are continuing preparations for the 2016 ballot.
Brett Levin via Flickr

Florida medical marijuana proponents are taking aim at statehouse lawmakers.  A Charlotte’s Web fix isn’t coming from the Legislature this year.

While the Department of Health wrangles in court over its most recent medical marijuana rules, a Senate measure aimed at clarifying and implementing the program has died.  Ben Pollara, spokesman for medical marijuana advocacy group United for Care, says the House’s actions are embarrassing.

“We want Floridians who are sick and suffering to get relief,” Pollara says.  “And Charlotte’s Web certainly needed some fixes, and it could certainly use expansion, so to the extent that any of those things were potentially happening we were for that.

But Pollara says his organization is pushing for access to marijuana without restrictions on THC levels.  This would make the drug more effective for patients with chronic pain. 

Nick Evans came to Tallahassee to pursue a masters in communications at Florida State University. He graduated in 2014, but not before picking up an internship at WFSU. While he worked on his degree Nick moved from intern, to part-timer, to full-time reporter. Before moving to Tallahassee, Nick lived in and around the San Francisco Bay Area for 15 years. He listens to far too many podcasts and is a die-hard 49ers football fan. When Nick’s not at work he likes to cook, play music and read.