Adam Putnam, Governor candidate that runs the Department of Agriculture in Florida, wants to work with lawmakers in a Special Session on finishing a cannabis bill that was not properly done this month. May 5, Senate members of Florida’s Congress passed their own version of the cannabis bill, but the House was not able to finish before the deadline. Lawmakers have been stalled on agreements following the support of Amendment 2 by many of Florida’s residents. Putnam believes that it is important to find a common ground so that the bills can be added into the state once approved by Gov.
Rick Scott. After all, timing is of the essence.
Calculating Minutes
Putnam decided to do a special session with lawmakers so that none of the regulations and final revisions ended up in the Department of Health’s oversee. Putnam and John Morgan, who also is taking part in the special session with lawmakers, are trying to find a way to devise a system without having the Health Department draw one up on their own. The Health Department has issued their own statement on the regulations and illnesses that can be helped with Marijuana, but as for rules and laws to oversee marijuana, some things don’t add up -- especially since an anti-drug group has been in charge of putting in some of their own rules into the law and are working with lawmakers and members of the Health Department.
It won’t be easy, but Putnam wants to work with people like John Morgan and Richard Corcoran to tackle the issues and the laws first hand. John Morgan’s father suffers from ALS and thinks that allowing his father to have access to cannabis could help with some of the long term ailments that happen to ALS patients such as a loss of appetite.
Gwen Graham, who is also supporting the special session with legislation, said in a Tweet posted this month that she watched her husband go through chemo and radiation and wished that he could have had access to cannabis that might have helped the pain from all the treatment.
The End Game
Having a special session is critical because lawmakers are too stubborn to work with cannabis approval.
While on a federal level, marijuana is an illegal drug, people all over Florida want to find a way to help patients or those with disabilities cope with the its side effects than have to take multiple prescription pills daily. Big Pharma companies have their stakes in Florida like they do in Arizona, and with a high elderly population, having a plant that can be made into oil, drops, or edibles could be lifesaving to someone who is losing their appetite from ALS or suffering from the shakes from Parkinson’s. Leaving it to the Health Department could mean less access and stricter rulings on cannabis in Florida.
