Thousands call on DeSantis to veto Florida marijuana bill

Tallahassee

Thousands of Florida residents called and sent letters to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office, urging him to veto a bill they say would effectively cripple the state’s marijuana market and make it harder for consumers to get the products they need for their physical and mental health.

DeSantis’ office, which has not formally received the bill from the Legislature, declined to comment on the governor’s position. But some opponents of the bill said they hope their efforts will work.

Paige Figi, executive director of the Access Alliance, said that while she knows the governor is not a supporter of marijuana, she believes he does support CBD wellness products and people, including Veterans and First Responderswho use them.

“I think he would have compassion for these people,” she said.

If the bill becomes law, it would prohibit delta-8 cannabis products, such as gummies and e-cigarettesThe bill would also ban some other cannabinoids, including delta-10, THC-V and THC-P, and limit the strength of permitted marijuana products.

Consumers like Figi have warned that the bill SB 1698will ban some products that don’t produce a “high,” including some CBD extracts, and Its uses are wide-ranging, including treating joint pain, muscle pain, insomnia, and anxiety.

Figi used CBD to relieve her daughter Charlotte’s epilepsy. The CBD product “Charlotte’s Web” was named after her, and her case has sparked a national conversation about the possible benefits of cannabis.

The governor’s office has received more than 13,000 calls, letters and emails from groups and individuals pushing for a veto. Fewer than 100 people have expressed support for the bill, according to data provided by the governor’s office.

In her letter to the governor’s office, Figi talked about how CBD allowed her to finally see a healthy daughter instead of one who suffered from hundreds of seizures each month.

“As a father of two daughters, I know you can relate to what this means to our family,” she wrote.

Tommy Gregory, a Republican who sponsored the bill in the House of Representatives, said marijuana products sold in Florida are drugs. Legislators have being “tricked” into allowing the cannabis market to grow beyond their expectations.

“I don’t think there should be recreational drug use, drug sales, in Florida or in this country,” Gregory said during the debate. This bill.

Florida Senators passed the bill unanimously, but Florida House members were more divided in a 64-48 vote, with 14 Republicans voting against it.

Some opponents of the bill hope to maintain the delta-8 market in Florida through reasonable regulation. Others, like Figi, question how the bill might affect CBD but are open to legislation that restricts delta-8 or other psychoactive cannabis products.

Figi said narcotic product manufacturers have exploited legal loopholes that allow the use of CBD, and as a result, those who use CBD for health reasons have been harmed.

In a letter to DeSantis, parents Tracy and Guy Berg wrote about using cannabis oil to help her daughter Riley with epilepsy.

Tracy Berg wrote that when she saw the results of the vote and the debate surrounding it, she “I am disgusted by the ignorant comments coming from my fellow Republicans.”

“They basically called my child a drug addict,” she said in the letter. “Suggesting we get her off drugs. They really don’t understand what they are voting for. They are voting to take away my right to a natural product that saved my child’s life.”

Jody James, president of the Florida Marijuana Action Network, said small businesses will be most affected if DeSantis does not veto the marijuana bill. James said if these small stores have strict rules about what they can and cannot sell, but the state’s medical marijuana license holders can sell similar products, it will be the big companies that survive.

An amendment proposed on the November ballot would allow recreational use of marijuana in the state, and if passed, would allow companies with medical licenses to sell marijuana products to recreational buyers.

“Are you going to go to the neighborhood hardware store or are we all going to Home Depot and Lowe’s?” James asked.

JJ Coombs, who runs three cannabis businesses in Fort Lauderdale, said he Think DeSantis supports small businesses, Will do “whatever he thinks is right”.

Combs employs about 160 people through his company, many of whom sent handwritten letters to DeSantis. A report commissioned by a marijuana trade group said Florida’s marijuana industry employs more than 100,000 people.

“If you look at the people and the letters that were sent to his office, you’ll see that they were not from the 20 marijuana businesses in the state,” Combs said.