Florida's medical marijuana industry had a rocky start last year which began with Amendment 2 legislation being signed into law. State lawmakers decided to ban smoking marijuana flower and said it was due to overwhelming health risks to patients.
The newest lawsuit led by John Morgan, acclaimed pro-marijuana advocate and one of the parties responsible for the Amendment 2 initiative in 2016 to legalize medical marijuana in Florida went to court on May 15th, 2018.
This case, now a bench trial is overseen by Leon County Circuit Judge Karen Gievers, the same judge that recently ruled in favor of Joe Redner's case allowing him to grow marijuana plants for his own medical use in Tampa.
Morgan represents Cathy Jordan 86, who says that smoking marijuana has stopped the symptoms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in her body for over 30 years. She accredits cannabis from alleviating pain and anxiety along with stopping the shakes that ALS patients know all too well.
The state argued that allowing Florida patients to "smoke joints" would simply add to the health risks associated with smoking anything. Plus to allow Florida to sell flower in dispensaries around the state would just be promoting full recreational pot, which they say adds to societies problems. Senior Assistant Attorney General Karen Brodeen said “smoking should never be a route of administration for any medicinal product"
Morgan and his clients disagree and said that smoking flower was implied in Amendment 2 just because it's not written most people understand taking cannabis as smoking it.
Plus the state is trying to put another obstacle between doctors and patients for their health care needs. The state has no place coming between a doctors recommendation and a patients ability to full fill it under the law.
The courts are accepted to rule on this case quickly, to-date over 100,000 approved medical marijuana cardholders in Florida as of May 2018. Many folks are anxiously awaiting the decision that could mean cannabis buds for sale in the sunshine state.