Medical Marijuana Issue in Florida: One Big Pot Hole
On August twenty nine, 2013, the Federal Department of Justice given a memorandum saying it is going to continue to count on state and local authorities to deal with marijuana activity through enforcement of state narcotics laws. But, in light of new state laws allowing for possession of a tiny quantities of marijuana plus regulating production, sale and processing of marijuana, the Department designated eight criteria to guide state law enforcement. States must (1) stop the distribution of marijuana to minors; (2) stop revenue from the marketing of marijuana from moving to criminal enterprises; (3) avoid the diversion of marijuana from states where it is authorized to states where it’s illegal; (four) prevent marijuana activity from being used as a protective cover for the trafficking of other illegal drugs; (5) prevent violence and also the usage of firearms in the growing as well as distribution of marijuana; (6) prevent drugged driving as well as the exacerbation of other adverse public health consequences associated with marijuana consumption; (seven) stop the progress of marijuana on public lands; and (8) prevent marijuana possession or maybe use on federal property. In the event that the Federal Government establishes that States aren’t adhering to such criteria, the Federal Government reserves the right of its to challenge State laws. The Feds didn’t say how any of that has been to be completed. They simply said the states should do that. But Florida has apparently been looking the other way.
In passing CS/CS/SB 1030, Florida has missed several key issues. Consider, for instance, the brand new law, which 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 medical conditions. Which conditions? Cancer, seizures, severe or persistent muscle spasms. Seems clear enough. Here’s the place that the Florida Legislature made the decision to go off track-
An individual is considered qualified to receive this therapy assuming (among some other things), the person is a fixed resident of Florida and the doctor determines the chances of ordering the pot are affordable. So how does a physician determine if the individual is an unchangeable resident? Can there be any protection for making that decision in faith that is good? Nope. So how does a physician help make the reasonableness determination? Would be the study of marijuana use also part of the medical school curriculum? No.
Remarkably, the Florida Medical Association and also the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association have responsibilities, 2014, 1, starting October, to condition prescribing physicians through an eight hour training program. How the Legislature made the decision to allocate that function to the FMA and FOMA, precisely why they even wish that task (beyond gathering non dues revenues) and just how the drafters came up with eight hours (does that include water and bathroom breaks?) is a question. And exactly how this kind of training pertains at all on the daily medical practice of the doctors taking such a training course is absent. Can an orthopedist undertake it? Sure. How about a pathologist? You guess. A physician? Not a problem. Why would a successful, practicing physician decide to pursue this brand new direction? How is the best and “highest use” for an excellently skilled cardiologist, family practitioner or even anesthesiologist? Evaluating an individual with cancer or with awful seizures who might gain from medical marijuana calls for no over a 8 hour program? I believed it required education in internal medicine, neurology and… cancer. So, can this be a medically, clinically driven law meant to help individuals in need or even one that just makes everyone which is sure gets the piece of theirs of the pie? It appears to miss the mark.
Florida has reportedly had an extended and lingering problem with the matter of drug diversion. People from all over have come to Florida not only for the sun, but also for all the oxies, roxies and numerous other controlled substances. Has that problem been licked? Was police consulted on the public safety problems involved in the law? Were they in the drafting room whenever the bill was produced? I don’t know, but it is difficult to see any of their fingerprints on the new law. It appears we have just dumped this matter on them! Where, for instance, is the roadside test to check people operating motor shark tank cbd gummies diabetes (Full Guide) vehicles under the influence of pot, medical marijuana or otherwise? It does not exist! There’s no way to protect the public because of this yet. The very best they can do is to send it all to some confirmation lab and wait a day or even so (at a big expenditure the taxpayers will bear). It’s a law without substantial consequences, in addition to all doctor education costs and licensure fees will do is put cash in the pockets of the government as well as businesses waiting to pounce on the ability.
One brilliant spot… the Legislature has decided to study the usage of medical marijuana. Yep. They have put aside a single BILLION… I mean thousand dollars (about the price of a website) for the Department of Health Biomedical Research Program to master cannabidol and the effect of its on intractable childhood epilepsy, an incredibly laudable seeming concept. And so the places where will the rest of the cash 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 seeking prescribed container from multiple doctors; establishes dispensing organizations throughout Florida; polices the trained physicians, the dispensing organizations & individuals who may be abusing the law? Who understands. Question: why not examine this BEFORE green lighting the entire idea? Colorado and Washington have both led how on the problem, so you will want to review the public health and clinical issues before passing a law with so many open issues?