Thread by @JimRosicaFL

A Senate panel will now take up a bill by @JeffreyBrandes that would repeal the state ban on smoking #MedicalMarijuana
#FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes Sen. @dennisbaxley starts the pushback, asking about packaging and dosages, which @HealthyFla hasn't yet issued rules on yet. For now, it's up to a prescribing doc. #FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla Asked if there is any other medicine that is smoked, Brandes said the people in approving Amendment 2 OK'd this, mirroring what at least one court and @JohnMorganESQ have said. #FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ Sen. @debbie_mayfield asks about diff in usage for diff. conditions; Brandes mentions the difficulty of knowing bc MMJ is still an illegal drug so not as much research has been done as on other meds. #FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield Asked why the need to smoke, Brandes says smoking provides "full spectrum" of benefits to some patients that edibles and oils can't provide. #FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield Prescribing is always a matter of balancing benefits and risks. Let the docs decide, Brandes says. #FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield Brandes brings up example of Cathy Jordan, who smokes to help dry up her saliva, which she otherwise chokes on. She has ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease. Jordan testified she wouldn’t be alive but for smoking marijuana. #FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield Now come the amendments. One by @AaronPBean would prevent patients under 18 from smoking. He doesn't want, for example, 9 year olds from smoking it. "I want to advance this with the proper restrictions...I'm on edge...I want to move gingerly."
#FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield @AaronPBean Bean, however, withdraws the amendment, mentioning other amendments on the table. Chair Gayle Harrell says she wants "guardrails" on the process. Wants "safety aspects" while observing voter intent.
#FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield @AaronPBean Harrell is concerned about respiratory problems, carcinogens, pneumonia, heart attacks, etc., wants an informed consent statement required. #FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield @AaronPBean Here's her other language:

#FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield @AaronPBean Furthering her case for informed consent, Harrell also says smoking marijuana can cause psychosis and people need to know that as well. #FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield @AaronPBean Harrell points out that vaping is already allowed, and provides for a more consistent dosage. Also suggests patients, even if smoking is advised, get a second opinion.
#FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield @AaronPBean For background, Harrell notes that her husband was a physician, she is in health care: "Health Information Technology Consultant; CEO Health IT Strategies," her official bio says.
#FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield @AaronPBean Harrell also corrects @AaronPBean saying doctors cannot write a "prescription" for marijuana since it is illegal, they can only write "orders" or "certificates." #FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield @AaronPBean "Smoking is inherently dangerous," Harrell tells committee, "It is very valid we do this...we're in uncharted territory." #FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield @AaronPBean Longtime lobbyist Barney Bishop tells panel that Amendment 2 doesn't say "smoking." Why?
bc @JohnMorganESQ knew the amendment would lose (again) if it did and didn't want to lose more millions of dollars. #FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield @AaronPBean To be clear, Amendment 2 that OK'd #MedicalMarijuana in Fla. won in 2016, but a previous version in 2014 lost at the ballot box. #FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield @AaronPBean Patients' advocate Gary Stein tells panel that marijuana is a "miracle drug" that can arrest lung cancer, "this is not tobacco...this is anti-inflammatory and has protective effects...(but smoking) is not for everybody." #FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield @AaronPBean Jodi James, another marijuana activist, says the cannabis community is "informed" and second opinions are covered by insurance. Instead, she said, require all doctors to get cannabis education. #FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield @AaronPBean In debate on the Harrell amendment, Sen. @SenMannyDiazJr says he is "twisting and turning" in his seat over this issue. Says he has safety concerns this will turn into recreational marijuana. #FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield @AaronPBean @SenMannyDiazJr .@JeffreyBrandes opposes the amendment, says it will "put us right back in court," calls it overly restrictive, but says there is a "middle ground" on smoking and kid patients. #FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield @AaronPBean @SenMannyDiazJr The Harrell amendment on "informed consent" for adult patients is adopted after a roll call vote.
#FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield @AaronPBean @SenMannyDiazJr The second amendment by Harrell is withdrawn. #FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield @AaronPBean @SenMannyDiazJr Public comment highlight: "It's about access to medicine." #FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield @AaronPBean @SenMannyDiazJr Speaker whose name I missed says Harrell committed "grotesque and disingenuous cherrypicking" of scientific literature to support her skepticism (?) of smoking MMJ. #FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield @AaronPBean @SenMannyDiazJr Social worker Josephine Cannella-Krehl tells panel no one has ever died of an OD of smoked cannabis "in the history of all of history." #FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield @AaronPBean @SenMannyDiazJr In debate, those who can't support bill as amended: @loriberman @Book4Senate
#FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield @AaronPBean @SenMannyDiazJr @loriberman @Book4Senate Those who say they will: @dennisbaxley @SenMannyDiazJr : "Here's where we are bc of the inaction of the fed gov't" - says he wants Board of Medicine to be involved in MMJ
#FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield @AaronPBean @SenMannyDiazJr @loriberman @Book4Senate .@SenJanetCruz, a D, tells @JeffreyBrandes, an R, she sees the frustration in his face as chair Gayle Harrell's amendment, which he didn't want, is now part of his bill. #FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield @AaronPBean @SenMannyDiazJr @loriberman @Book4Senate @SenJanetCruz Sen. @darrylrouson reminds panel he once filed a bong-ban bill. He now says, "People have a right to choose their delivery method."
#FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield @AaronPBean @SenMannyDiazJr @loriberman @Book4Senate @SenJanetCruz @darrylrouson Here's some background on the proposed bong ban from 2016: floridapolitics.com/archives/22782…
#FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield @AaronPBean @SenMannyDiazJr @loriberman @Book4Senate @SenJanetCruz @darrylrouson .@JeffreyBrandes basically closes by saying he doesn't recognize his own bill anymore, but asks for support. It dies on a tie vote. #FlaPol

@JeffreyBrandes @dennisbaxley @HealthyFla @JohnMorganESQ @debbie_mayfield @AaronPBean @SenMannyDiazJr @loriberman @Book4Senate @SenJanetCruz @darrylrouson BUT WAIT — On a motion to reconsider, the bill is re-voted on and clears the committee. It lives to see another day. #FlaPol

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