Pubdate: Mon, 19 May 2014
Source: Orlando Sentinel (FL)
Copyright: 2014 Orlando Sentinel
Contact:  http://www.orlandosentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/325
Note: Rarely prints out-of-state LTEs.
Author: Scott Powers
Page: B2

UPON FURTHER REVIEW, MORE GROWERS CAN SEEK CANNABIS LICENSES

Now there are 39 Florida nurseries who are qualified to grow 
marijuana, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and 
Consumer services.

After initially determining that 21 Florida growers met requirements 
to bid for cannabis licenses, assuming Gov. Rick Scott signs that 
bill, the department decided to do a review of records. The 
department reports it has found 18 more that qualify, including six 
in Central Florida.

There now are perhaps 10 nurseries in Central Florida that are big 
enough and old enough to be qualified candidates for one of those 
potentially lucrative licenses, which would give companies 
monopolistic authority in various regions of Florida to grow, process 
and sell marijuana product to qualified patients with cancer or 
intractable seizures or tumors.

The law would limit cannabis cultivation only to plants bred to 
produce an extract oil widely known by the brand name"Charlotte's 
Web." These plants have a very low level of THC- the chemical that 
gets people high- and a very high CBD level. CBD is the extract 
believed to have therapeutic effects on certain cancerous tumors and 
seizure and tremor disorders.

The law restricted the business to nurseries that are registered with 
the state to have at least 400,000 plants for sale, and have been in 
business in Florida for at least 30 years. Because digital records go 
back only 26 years, the initial list was incomplete.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom