The GOP House sponsor claims that a Florida bill which sought to cap THC strength if voters approved a legalization measure that could appear on November’s ballot has been effectively killed for the session.
The legislation that would have prohibited the sale of cannabis flowers for adult use with potencies greater than 30% THC in dispensaries advanced through both chambers’ committees, but is now considered dead due to time constraints.
The Senate bill passed through the Health Policy Committee in the first half of this month but was not on the agenda for the Fiscal Policy Committee at its final 60-day session meeting on Tuesday.
The bill would limit the THC content of all cannabis products to 60 percent, in addition to 30 percent for flowers. The bill would also have set a serving size of edible products at 10 milligrams or less THC, and a total amount per package not exceeding 200 mg.
This month, the House Bill was approved separately by the Health and Human Services Committee. Florida Politics reports that if it passes on the floor, it could theoretically be taken up by the Senate. The measures aren’t identical, and Rep. Ralph Massullo says that he thinks it is dead.
Senate President Kathleen Passidomo said that she would have liked any House-passed bill to be moved through the committee process within her chamber but there were no scheduled meetings where this could happen.
Massullo said Politico that “I believed the product we created was sound.” He added that he hoped the legislature would “take up similar policy” in the future, if the voters approve the legalization initiative that is currently being reviewed by the State Supreme Court for potential ballot access.
As originally introduced, Massullo’s legislation would have set a limit of 10 percent for the THC content in flower cannabis . However, this was increased to 30 percent at a subcommittee meeting.
Florida’s medical marijuana dosage limits are not based on THC content.
Governor Rick Scott has announced that the measure to legalize marijuana will be on Florida’s ballot in November. Ron DeSantis recently predicted that activists would win in court against a challenge by the Attorney General who wants to stop the vote.
The governor, at his last presidential campaign event held in New Hampshire, said: “I think that the court will approve that.” So it’ll be put on the ballot.
The Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has requested that the court invalidate the ballot measure despite activists having collected nearly one million valid signatures. The official successfully petitioned the justices in order to stop a 2022 initiative being considered by voters.
The governor says that this time, it won’t happen. He opposes reform, and promised not to decriminalize cannabis if elected President while he ran for office. But he believes voters will have a chance to make a decision this time.
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The state Supreme Court has yet to issue a decision in the case vs. the Smart and Safe Florida Campaign. The state Supreme Court will have to make a decision by April 1.
DeSantis recently weighed in with another important cannabis policy issue when he stated that the federal gun prohibition for state-legal pot consumers is not constitutional. Florida’s former Agriculture Commissioner filed a lawsuit against Biden’s administration for the rule. The governor, however, did not take part.
A recent poll by the Florida Chamber of Commerce showed that , the reform proposal has the majority of support among likely voters — but not enough to reach the steep 60 percent threshold required for passage in the state.
Other polls show that voters have more than enough support to pass the legalization measure. The University of North Florida conducted a poll that revealed 67 percent of voters support the initiative.
Trulieve, a multi-state marijuana firm, has donated over $40 million so far to the Smart and Safe Florida Campaign. The state attorney general accused the company that it was supporting the measure to gain a “monopolistic grip” on the cannabis market in the state.
In the meantime, legislation to limit consumable hemp products has also advanced in the Florida legislature .
A House subcommittee has also recently advanced a bill on medical marijuana that would waive the registration and renewal fees of service-disabled veterans.
New Hampshire Senate and House Lawmakers Clash over Marijuana Legalization Bill
Photo by WeedPornDaily.
The post Florida’s Bill to Cap Marijuana THC Potency Before Legalization Ballot Vote is Dead for the Session first appeared on Marijuana Moment.
