New Florida professional medical cannabis licenses could occur by summer

TALLAHASSEE – Florida could transfer ahead with 22 more licenses for healthcare cannabis operators, just about doubling the sizing of the state’s authorized cannabis sector, in the following six months.

The condition Place of work of Health care Marijuana Use Director Christopher Kimball presented the tentative timeline right after giving a presentation Wednesday about the clinical marijuana method to the Property Health care Regulation Subcommittee.

Kimball’s business office accepted 74 apps for 22 supplemental licenses in the course of an application period of time that ended in April, but a person of the candidates has given that withdrawn, he stated. The new licenses are necessary under a 2017 regulation that termed for boosting the quantity of licenses as the selection of qualified sufferers, which at this time exceeds 850,000, will increase.

Rep. Allison Tant, a Tallahassee Democrat who serves on the Residence panel, pressed Kimball on the issuance of the new licenses.

“What is the status of that method?” Tant questioned.

Kimball stated the purposes “are currently being reviewed” but he did not have a specific time for when they would be awarded.

“If I rush them and we get sued and drop, then persons will not likely get their licenses. I want to make sure that we’ve completed it correct,” he explained.

But Tant pushed him on the challenge.

“I want to make confident we get it suitable, but at the exact time I have constituents in this room who are sort of chomping at the bit. … Need to I convey to them it’s 6 months? Must I explain to them it really is heading to be a 12 months? … What would be the best respond to for them?” Tant requested.

Kendall replied, “I would hope we could satisfy that six months. That would be my hope. Hope is not a prepare, but which is what we’re functioning on.”

The April round of applications was the initial big opportunity for newcomers to the field to vie for licenses because the 2017 laws passed. An initial round of licenses was dependent on a 2014 legislation that legalized non-euphoric cannabis for a minimal variety of people. The condition has accredited 24 operators.