Medical Cannabis Legalization Bill Filed in Florida House of Representatives
Today Florida State 
Representative Greg Stuebe filed House Bill 683 which would legalize the use and state-licensed distribution of medical cannabis. The measure is a companion bill to Senate Bill 528, which was filed by Senator Senator Jeff Brandes in January.
House Bill 683, unlike Senate Bill 528, would prohibit the actual smoking of medical cannabis. Instead, patients would be required to vaporize or consume it through edibles, tinctures, topicals or oils. The proposal would also set a stricter list of qualifying conditions.
“We are encouraged to see this companion bill filed by Rep. Steube”, says Ben Pollara, Campaign Manager for United for Care, which is working on a medical cannabis legalization initiative aimed at the 2016 ballot. “However, the exclusion of qualifying symptoms – in addition to qualifying diseases – and the prohibition on a patient’s ability to consume their medicine as recommended by a doctor is alarming.”
Pollara continues; “ Like SB 528, the bill is considerably more comprehensive than previously passed Senate Bill 1030, which only allowed for a low-THC, high-CBD strain of marijuana that would primarily help those suffering with epilepsy and other seizure disorders. However, unlike SB 528, this bill bans smoking and severely restricts what conditions would be eligible under the law.”
Pollara stresses that it’s “absolutely crucial that doctors have the freedom to make these recommendations based on specific symptoms, in addition to named diseases. Our position remains that legislation should not stand between a doctor and patient in mandating the manner in which that patient consumes their medicine.”
Pollara concedes that although House Bill 683 is “a strong starting point from the House”, it “just does not meet the needs of all Florida patients“.
Those interested in signing and downloading United for Care’s initiative can do so by clicking here.
– TheJointBlog
Shawn
Why not leaglize it and tax it as Colorado?
Anonymous
no one sees the bigger picture the amount of revenue That it would produce it’s just astronomical
Sam
Astronomical would be an understatement, sir. There is not enough gold in the world to amount to the potential earnings a pot industry in Florida could produce.
Anonymous
First step to positive change is to change the status of drug classification!!! Just like other good plants on this planet this natural plant is GOOD for you. Stuffing the benefits one by one into rules and laws is a fools folly! Legislation has no right to dictate what malady, at what age, or dosage a private citizen can grow, purchase and ingest a natural herb/weed/miracle plant. Therefore, join together in this mindset, there is enough good benefits for all people. Legislative work should be voted by the people in their State. The States must take their reigns back and Govern their State as their constituents vote them to do! The State must direct the Federal level not the other way around! If you just can’t live without big government beef up at the State level and shrink shrink shrink The Feds!!! Medicine, food, our children! It is up to us to stand by or step up. Categorizing which illnesses have access and which illness do not, has no place in law! My daughter suffered with chronic illness for over 20 years and took responsibility for herself enough to seek and find what helped her as well as following Dr. Prescribed Pharma when she could! Sometimes flat out rejecting the chemical drug that was not working and putting her in the hospital time after time to recover from on top of working through her disease. Her life journey of living as a single Mom, raising 2 Sons, fighting the system, educating her medical teams opened many eyes to the healing benefits of CBD/THC. Listen, natural is good! No over dose! Works “with” your individual body as you have need! Some CBD’s may work best, some THC, Legislators do NOT know, Doctors do not know! Listen, just as some foods, essential oils and herbs have synergy, this is a whole plant with its own synergy. Therefore, mans plans to determine that the CBD must be stripped and the THC stripped to fit with mans laws is also a fools folly! The list of benefits is long. Depression should be at the top of the list but not even mentioned! Kidney patients! The list is ridiculous. But more ridiculous people are fighting against a natural plant. A garden plant that helps so many! Don’t wait until your loved ones suffer on and on needlessly to realize which side of the street you support! Cultural Shifts happen! Help make this one happen!!! It is GOOD!!!