Tweets and emails helped kill a FL bill to place a cap on high-potency medical marijuana for patients

A controversial proposal to limit the effectiveness of THC in marijuana failed to gain ground in the 2021 legislature, partly because many Floridians and cannabis advocates opposed it, according to proponents of medical marijuana.

In March, the move was carried out by two Florida House health committees, with many legislators advocating setting an upper limit on tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – the chemical that causes euphoric effects.

But HB 1455, sponsored by Republican MP Spencer Roach, later died on the Committee on Health and Human Services. Roach represents part of Lee County.

The measure has been rejected by many residents across the state, said medical marijuana activist Ben Pollara.

“So many voters have called, emailed and tweets,” Pollara said in a phone conversation with the Florida Phoenix. “I think that had a big impact.”

Advocates the measure Including Roach, argued that high potency marijuana has been linked to an increased risk of mental illness.

But many medical marijuana patients rely on higher THC levels to deal with certain conditions or diseases, advocates argued. “For some people this feels like a life and death situation,” said Pollara.

Among other things, according to a legal analysis, the bill would have “limited effectiveness to 10 percent THC for marijuana in the form of smoking and 60 percent THC for all other forms of marijuana products, except food”.

Orlando attorney John Morgan led the state’s medical marijuana legalization initiative, along with Pollara as campaign manager for the Morgan Political Committee in 2014 and 2016. This resulted in Florida voters approving the constitutional amendment in 2016.

“It’s a tremendous relief to over 500,000 patients in Florida that this legislation hasn’t passed,” said Pollara.

But members of Florida lawmakers could try pushing for THC caps at the next session, Pollara warned. “We all have expectations that they will try to do this again in the next meeting,” he added.

In the meantime, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried has a medical marijuana card and was critical of the measure. She posted a campaign style Video In mid-April, she presented her medical marijuana card.

“This is my medical marijuana card. It’s legal and a direct result of 71 percent of Floridians who vote to allow medical marijuana… ”she said.

Conditions qualifying for medical marijuana include HIV / AIDS, epilepsy, glaucoma, cancer, Crohn’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, and many more, depending on the state.