Some Things to Know:

To make it to the Florida 2020 general election, a petition must secure 766,200 valid signatures by Feb. 2, 2020 . There is only one petition likely to gain enough signatures for this requirement, Make it Legal Florida. This is not a good thing for access, affordability, patients rights, or small business.

An amendment can be further defined via an implementation bill passed by the State Legislature and signed by the Governor, as long as those rules abide by the rights outlined in the amendment…sort of. We saw this happen with Florida’s Medical Marijuana initiative, Amendment 2. Until an implementation bill was passed, the medical program functioned under the rules of the high CBD/low THC program already in place. In June 2017, during a special session, an implementation bill was passed that further defined the Florida Medical program and set operating rules. It was this bill that prohibited patients from having smokable flower, despite the original amendment stating that patient’s had a right to cannabis in all forms. It took nearly two years of lawsuits and advocacy to amend the State constitution to allow smokable/whole flower for patients after this implementation bill. This shows how important it is to get the RIGHT legislation passed from the start. Settling for something over nothing can be dangerous for future growth. Things are incredibly difficult and slow to change, especially in a multi billion dollar industry set up for an elite few. Accepting the flaws in MILF now, thinking we can change them in the future, will only bite us in the ass.

Cannabis arrests continue with many legalization efforts. Black markets flourish with poor regulation and over regulation. We need to keep this in mind when voting. The MILF campaign only allows citizens to possess cannabis purchased from a licensed MMTC.

Medical patients often suffer at the hands of a money driven recreational market. Medical geared products become harder to find and prices inflate. I’ve seen this first hand time and time again in my coaching work with patients around the country. My clients in California have more difficulty sourcing for their needs than anywhere else.

Patient needs and safety will always be my number one priority, and while I don’t think anyone should be in jail for this plant, my concerns for patients absolutely guides my thoughts on the legalization issue . I personally think we need to create and implement a functioning medical program that serves the people before attempting to regulate a recreational market. My ideal world would be to decriminalize personal possession and use, while only regulating a medical market and program. Once the medical landscape is functioning and serving the people, then and only then regulate a recreational market.

I never in my life thought I would be faced with a decision to vote AGAINST a cannabis legalization initiative, but after a few years working in the industry you couldn’t do anything to convince me to sign the MILF petition or vote for it if it makes the general election. Instead of settling for corporate greed to have it now, I rather wait a few years and see legalization done in a way to serve the people.



Florida’s Current Cannabis Legalization Petitions

There are currently three ballot petitions circulating for a chance to be on the ballot in the November 2020 election.

Make It Legal Florida

Financially Backed By: Surterra, MedMen. See funding information.

MILF Website



Ballot Summary:

Permits adults 21 years or older to possess, use, purchase, display, and transport up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and marijuana accessories for personal use for any reason. Permits Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers to sell, distribute, or dispense marijuana and marijuana accessories if clearly labeled and in childproof packaging to adults. Prohibits advertising or marketing targeted to persons under 21. Prohibits marijuana use in defined public places. Maintains limitations on marijuana use in defined circumstances.

Concerns:

MILF is the big pharma meets big alcohol version of cannabis legalization. It has the money necessary to make the ballot, but it does NOT serve the people.

Raising over a collective $1 million from Surterra and MedMen shortly after conception, Make It Legal Florida is the most likely of the Florida legalization initiatives to make it to the Florida 2020 election ballot. It’s also the most concerning. MILF allows any adult 21 or older to possess and consume cannabis in private settings. The initiative DOES NOT allow for home cultivation, instead charging Florida’s current Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers (MMTCs) with cultivation and distribution.

Florida’s Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers

Florida’s MMTC system operates under vertical integration, which means MMTCs perform all aspects of cultivation and distribution, from seed to sale. There is a very limited number of licenses available, restricting development and growth to consumers while inflating the value of a MMTC license. This has created what’s referred to as the “Florida Cartel,” with a select few large corporations operating the entire cannabis program in Florida. Florida MMTC licenses have sold for over $50 million, with this value only set to escalate if the vertical system is preserved for the multi billion dollar recreational market.

Why We Can’t Vote for a Vertical System