Pubdate: Sun, 14 Dec 2014
Source: Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Copyright: 2014 Sun-Sentinel Company
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/mVLAxQfA
Website: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/159
Author: Scott Powers
Page: 1B

'CHARLOTTE'S WEB' REWRITE

Medical-Marijuana Rules May Change

Florida's rules for companies to grow and sell medical marijuana to 
patients with severe epilepsy and other debilitating conditions could 
be out as soon as Monday.

A judge last month ordered the Florida Department of Health to 
rewrite its regulations for an oil made from noneuphoric cannabis, 
known commonly as "Charlotte's Web," that can be used to treat 
epilepsy, other neurological disorders and cancer.

The department has been mum since the ruling Nov. 14, when it said it 
would "consider all options that will most expeditiously get this 
product to market to help families facing serious illnesses." It has 
until Monday to appeal the judge's order.

Under a law approved last spring, the department was expected to have 
rules in place by Sept. 30, with the program to start Jan. 1

One of the parents active in lobbying for the law is Seth Hyman of 
Weston, whose daughter Rebecca, 9, has scores of seizures a day. He 
said he thinks the department is working on new rules and expects 
them to be announced soon, perhaps Monday. But the lack of 
information and the delays disturb him.

"Let's not forget that while all this is drawing out, who is 
suffering? It's the patients, children like mine," Hyman said. "And 
they're the ones who can die at any time and are in so much need for this."

The law created the Department of Health's Office of Compassionate 
Use, which was ordered to work out regulations for up to five Florida 
plant nurseries to grow and process the marijuana and then make it 
available to eligible patients.

The "Charlotte's Web" extract is a specific brand of medicinal oil 
introduced in Colorado that showed remarkable success in alleviating 
seizures. Yet there reportedly are at least 21 cannabis strains 
nationally that could qualify under Florida's new law

Medical experts say about 125,000 people in Florida with epilepsy 
that has not responded to other drugs or therapies could be helped by the oil.

The delay happened after several of Florida's leading plant 
nurseries, upset with the department's proposed rules, challenged 
them - particularly the requirement that licenses would be decided by 
a lottery. That sent the matter into court, and Administrative Law 
Judge W. David Watkins in Tallahassee threw out the proposed regulations.

"The only thing that I have heard is that the Department of Health is 
waiting for direction from the Governor's Office and secretary on how 
to proceed," said another activist parent, Holley Moseley of Gulf Breeze.

Lobbyist Louis Rotundo, who represents the Winter Park-based Florida 
Medical Cannabis Association, expressed concern that nothing would be 
accomplished anytime soon. He said the startup might have to wait for 
new legislation from the Florida Legislature in the spring.

"I am becoming increasingly doubtful we can get to a positive 
resolution of this licensing process, given the fact that we've lost 
four weeks," he said. "The big losers in this whole process are the 
very patients who went to Tallahassee to try to get the Legislature 
to do something, and the Legislature did. And what do we have to show 
for it? Nothing."

But state Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Niceville, who pushed through the bill 
that became the law, said he is confident the department is working 
hard on rule writing and will soon have a successful program to announce.

"It's a legal requirement," Gaetz said. "I have had conversations 
with the executive branch in which I urged them not to wait for any 
redo by the Legislature."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom