Marijuana

Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office is boosting arguments against a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow the recreational use of marijuana in Florida.

Backers of a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow recreational use of marijuana in Florida hope to place the initiative on next year's ballot.

State health officials deemed the application submitted by Moton Hopkins and Hatchett Creek Farms, of which he owned 51 percent, to be the cream of the crop. After he died, they decided to award the license to someone else.

A U.S. district judge has tossed out a lawsuit filed by Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and other plaintiffs challenging federal prohibitions on medical-marijuana patients buying and possessing guns.

A teacher at Godby High School smelled marijuana. Then school officials found drugs and a gun in a student's backpack.

Commissioner Nick Maddox says there’s nobody at the Leon County jail who is serving time solely for possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana.

Leon County Commissioners are discussing an ordinance that would make possession of small amounts of marijuana a civil rather than criminal offense under county rules. Supporters say it’s an option to help keep people out of jail for low level crimes. Critics argue the move would have little impact, since under state and federal laws recreational marijuana use is illegal.

In 2017, one medical marijuana license was set aside specifically for a Black farmer and has not yet been given out. This month, the Florida Department of Health put out an emergency rule specifying how Black farmers can apply for that license. Florida Agriculture Commissioner and gubernatorial candidate Nikki Fried wants the state to revisit its rule.

A group of Florida lawmakers is hoping there’s still time this session to move legislation forward that would expand marijuana use beyond the state’s current medical-only program. They’re also hoping to stop legislation some worry could shrink the current program.

When Congress passed the 2018 Farm Bill it cleared the way for hemp to be grown across the United States. Hemp comes from the cannabis plant which is mostly known for its ability to produce marijuana which remains illegal. The difference between the two is simple: one gets you high, the other doesn’t. However, some store owners have recently started selling a version of hemp that produces a similar effect as marijuana, effectively blurring the lines. The federal Drug Enforcement Administration has attempted to ban the new product, but that’s not deterred business owners who are now exploiting a legal loophole.