Orange Park lawmaker proposes medical marijuana guidelines

A Northeast Florida lawmaker has submitted a plan to the Florida Senate, which could serve as the framework for how Amendment 2 is implemented in the state.

Florida voters overwhelmingly approved Amendment 2 in November, legalizing medical marijuana for approved individuals with certain debilitating conditions. Still, the Florida Department of Health and State Legislature must come to a consensus on how to implement the new law.

State Sen. Rob Bradley (R-Orange Park), a longtime champion of medical marijuana, has filed SB-406 to execute the decision made by voters on Nov. 8.

“This really is one of those issues that transcends Republicans and Democrats,” Bradley told WOKV. “You don’t see a lot of splits down party lines when we have these discussions in Tallahassee about medical marijuana. In every part of the state, (Amendment 2) was overwhelmingly approved.”

Even in Bradley’s staunchly conservative District 5, Amendment 2 was approved by 70 percent of voters. The challenge now lies in determining who qualified for the new treatment method and how it will be distributed.

Fortunately, state lawmakers aren’t starting from scratch when it comes to medical marijuana. The approval of Charlotte’s web, while implementation was cumbersome, is helping lawmakers with a foundation for regulating a broader law.

“I think that, as long as we do our job this session, it will be a fairly seamless transition into implementing Amendment 2,” Bradley said.

The Compassionate Use of Low-THC Cannabis and Marijuana authorizes physicians to issue certifications to patients suffering from debilitating medical conditions and patients suffering from chronic symptoms of seizures.

Florida House members will also have to come forward with a plan for regulation.