Medical Marijuana Issue in Florida: One Big Pot Hole

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  • michelemerson
    July 2, 2022 at 11:41 pm #475897

    On August twenty nine, 2013, cbd gummies Everyday [https://www.issaquahreporter.com/] the Federal Department of Justice given a memorandum saying it will continue to rely on state and local authorities to address marijuana pastime through enforcement of state narcotics laws. However, in light of new state laws allowing for possession of a tiny amounts of marijuana plus regulating production, processing and sale of marijuana, the Department designated eight criteria to guide state law enforcement. States should (one) prevent the distribution of marijuana to minors; (two) prevent revenue from the selling of marijuana from flowing to criminal enterprises; (3) avoid the diversion of marijuana from states where it is legal to states where it’s unlawful; (four) avoid marijuana activity from being utilized as a protective cover for the trafficking of other illegal drugs; (five) stop violence and the use of firearms in the cultivation as well as distribution of marijuana; (six) prevent drugged driving and also the exacerbation of other adverse public health effects related to marijuana use; (seven) stop the development of marijuana on public lands; and (eight) prevent marijuana possession or perhaps use on federal property. In the event which the Federal Government establishes that States are not sticking with such criteria, the Federal Government reserves the right of its to challenge State laws. The Feds didn’t say how any of that was to be completed. They just said the states need to do that here. But Florida has apparently been looking the opposite way.

    The new Law
    In passing CS/CS/SB 1030, Florida has missed some key issues. Consider, for example, the new law, that has the following features:
    It makes “low-THC cannabis” legal when recommended by a medical doctor or osteopathic physician for an individual who has certain health conditions. Which conditions? Cancer, seizures, persistent or severe muscle spasms. Seems clear enough. Here’s where the Florida Legislature decided to go off track-

    An individual is considered qualified to receive this therapy if (among other things), the patient is an unchangeable resident of Florida and the doctor determines that the odds of purchasing the pot are affordable. How does a physician determine if the client is an unchangeable resident? Is there any protection for making that decision in faith that is fine? Nope. Just how does a physician make the reasonableness determination? Is the study of marijuana use perhaps part of the medical school curriculum? No.
    Surprisingly, the Florida Medical Association and also the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association have responsibilities, starting October, 1, 2014, to condition prescribing physicians through a 8 hour education program. The way the Legislature made the decision to set aside that function on the FOMA and FMA, the reason they also wish that task (beyond collecting non dues revenues) and just how the drafters came up with eight hours (does that include drinking water and bathroom breaks?) is a question. And just how this kind of training pertains at all to the daily healthcare practice of the physicians taking these types of a program is additionally absent. Could an orthopedist do it? Sure. What about a pathologist? You bet. A physician? No problem. Why would a prosperous, practicing physician elect to pursue this new direction? How is the “highest and best use” for an excellently trained cardiologist, family practitioner or even anesthesiologist? Evaluating a patient with cancer or even with awful seizures who would probably reap some benefits from medical marijuana calls for no more than a 8 hour program? I thought it required lessons in internal medicine, neurology and… cancer. Anyway, can this be a medically, clinically driven law meant to aid people in need or one that simply makes sure everybody gets the piece of theirs of the pie? It appears to avoid the mark.
    Florida has reportedly had a long and lingering problem with the matter of drug diversion. Folks from all over have come to Florida not only for the sun, but also for the oxies, roxies and numerous different controlled substances. Has that problem been licked? Was law enforcement consulted on the public safety problems working in the law? Were they in the drafting space while the bill was produced? I don’t know, but it’s difficult to get any of their fingerprints on the new law. It appears we have just dumped this issue on them! Where, for instance, is the roadside test to evaluate folks operating motor vehicles under the influence of pot, medical marijuana or even otherwise? It does not exist! There’s no chance to protect the public because of this yet. The best they can do is sending it off to some confirmation lab and hold on a day or so (at a major expense the taxpayers will bear). It’s a law with no purposeful effects, along with all doctor education costs and licensure charges will do is place cash in the pockets of the government and businesses waiting to pounce on the chance.
    One bright spot… the Legislature has made a decision to learn the use of medical marijuana. Yep. They have put aside a single BILLION… I mean million dollars (about the cost of a website) for the Department of Health Biomedical Research Program to learn cannabidol and its effect on intractable childhood epilepsy, a really laudable seeming concept. So the places where will the majority of the money come from to do exactly what the law mandates-the Department of Health is creating a Compassionate Use Registry that (among some other things) prevents an individual searching for prescribed container from several physicians; establishes dispensing organizations throughout Florida; polices the skilled doctors, the dispensing organizations as well as patients who may be abusing the law? Who understands. Question: why don’t you examine this BEFORE green lighting the whole concept? Colorado and Washington have both led the way on the problem, so why not review the public health and medical issues prior to passing a law with many open concerns?

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