Governor promises big changes to medical marijuana in Florida
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday that changes are coming to the way the state is carrying out a constitutional amendment that broadly legalized medical marijuana.
DeSantis, a Republican, previously said many voters believe the state has been “foot dragging” in implementing the amendment, largely bankrolled by Orlando trial lawyer John Morgan and approved by more than 71 percent of voters in 2016.
DeSantis said that if the Legislature does not address the smoking issue in March, his administration will abandon an appeal filed under his predecessor, now U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, that seeks to keep the ban in place.
Morgan appeared with DeSantis on Thursday saying he’s encouraged and believes the amendment will now be carried out as it's written.
"This is critical to the healthcare in Florida. You have to remember this, marijuana is a substitute for opiods. And opiods now kill more people in America than car wrecks," Morgan said.
DeSantis said the move is about carrying out the people’s will. He said the 71 percent majority by which Floridians legalized medical marijuana was an overwhelming majority.
“Whether they have to smoke it or not who am I to judge that? I want people to have their suffering relieved,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis said he'll also consider ending other lawsuits targeting medical marijuana.
"The last thing I want to do is be cleaning up something that should've been implemented two years ago," DeSantis said.