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Scott Signs Medical Marijuana Plan
June 24, 2017
More than seven months after Floridians overwhelmingly backed the broad legalization of medical marijuana, Gov. Rick Scott on Friday signed a bill aimed at carrying out the voters’ wishes.
Lawmakers passed the bill (SB 8-A) during a special session this month after struggling to reach agreement on an implementation plan for the medical-marijuana constitutional amendment, which 71 percent of voters approved in November.
Scott’s office sent out a news release after 5:30 p.m. Friday that said he had signed the marijuana bill, along with 37 others, but did not comment. He had indicated earlier he would approve the bill.
The constitutional amendment gave doctors the authority to order marijuana for potentially hundreds of thousands of patients who suffer from debilitating conditions including cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV, AIDS, post-traumatic stress disorder, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Crohn’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis.
But as is commonly the case, a plan still needed to be put in place to carry out the amendment. The bill resolves issues such as how many companies will receive marijuana licenses and how many retail outlets they can operate.
It appears likely, however, that Orlando lawyer John Morgan, who largely bankrolled the constitutional amendment, will challenge part of the bill that bars people from smoking medical marijuana. The bill would allow vaping and other methods of marijuana use.
Lawmakers who supported the smoking ban pointed to concerns about issues such as the health effects of smoking marijuana on people’s lungs. But Morgan has vowed to file a lawsuit to try to overturn the ban, saying voters envisioned that patients would be able to smoke cannabis.
“(Smoking) clearly was called for in the amendment, and so what they’ve done for me is allowed me to step back up on my soapbox and go get what the people of Florida wanted when they passed this bill with 71 percent,” Morgan told The News Service of Florida this month.
The marijuana measure was the highest-profile bill signed Friday by Scott.
Among the others was a bill that would help wireless telecommunications companies in dealing with local government regulations.
The measure (HB 687) would limit the ability of local governments to regulate types of equipment known as “small wireless facilities” in public rights of ways. The equipment is for emerging 5G technology. The bill, which becomes law July 1, drew objections from local governments, at least in part, because it would take away their authority.
by Jim Saunders and Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Comments
10 Responses to “Scott Signs Medical Marijuana Plan”
The same people hooked on opoids are probably potheads. Also i did not know that caffeine and nicotine and alcohol were manmade.
Also,
According to chris pot smoke will cure lung cancer.
Super Thought!!
I dont remember voting on Lortabs, or Percocet or any other opioid drug. You know, the ones that they say more people are addicted to than ever before. The ones where the number of people addicted have gone up every year since 2000. The ones more and more of our veterans are getting hooked on everyday. WHY WERE WE NOT ASKED/REQUIRED TO VOTE ON THAT? Or Alcohol. Or Nicotine. Or Caffine. Sudafed perhaps. All man made i notice. So not occurring naturally in the wild. Hmmm….. anybody.
Open your eyes folks
@michpark, good call on swerving the opioids. Someone has to watch out for your daughter, glad that its you, everyone else is watching their wallet.
My daughter suffers from Mosaic Downs and Autism. She has endured a double scoliosis surgery and is in enormous pain. She is in enormous pain and I am currently seeking the cannibus option to relieve her seizure, pain and help with neurological set backs. I would support the smoking of marijuana for her if it relieved her pain, brought back her appetite and help her sleep. She deserves relief, she’s only twenty, and they keep throwing Xanax at us, or Percocet…no thanks.
Do you really think anyone who would smoke pot and drive, isn’t already smoking pot and driving?
WOW ! What propaganda. Any reasonable person part of the 71% should have assumed the amendment meant smokeable marijuana mainly due to the fact its smokeable in all the states that have gone before us. Intact I’m amazed Floridians approved it after so many years of government demonization.Stops cancer growth, reduces neurological impairment, prevents migraines, treats glaucoma, treats ADD/ADHD, reduces IBS & Crohns disease, cures epilepsy, prevents Alzheimer’s, makes biodegradable plastic, paper, fuel, solvents, lubricants, consumer & industrial textiles, I can go on but listen to programmed idiots.
Wow. I don’t wanna smell tobacco cigarettes either. But I have to. It Causes more accidents?? More than alcohol?! I think the most eye opening experience that you could have, because i Had mine opened when my father fought cancer, is to have someone close to you have a sickness, illness, condition that NEEDS the medicinal qualities of marijuana. Notice i said need…. not WANT. Cant avoid doing something to help masses because a few may abuse it. Look at opioids!!!! Uh, epidemic.
JC for going green
I’m wondering…how does the Orlando lawyer John Morgan factually know that the 71% of voters who voted for this (which I am one of those) did so with the intentions of wanting patients to be able to smoke it?
I for one didn’t envision what he’s claiming, so he’s not speaking for me. I envisioned those who suffer with debilitating illnesses to take it in a healthier form that doesn’t impact others around them.
So NO Mr. Morgan, there are those who don’t want to smell the fumes off of a marijuana cigarette and/or device just because the person smoking it says that it’s their legal right to do so because you said so and fought for it. Your wrong!
Escambia County Sheriff’s already have to deal with too many accidents as it is. I expect with this being passed, that there will be quite a few drivers under the influence of THC that will cause even MORE accidents. Swell. Of course more revenue for the state/county wouldn’t possibly be a reason would it? Naaahhh….
The mayor of Orlando does not care anout medical marijuana patients. he is only concerned with the legality of people smoking marijuana and to get high. In my humble opinion he’s a two-faced liar. The 71% also do not care about medical pot, they just want pot period. Qualifier, there are exceptions to everything.