“The state is overriding the skilled judgment of docs and endangering the well being of sufferers.”
By Danielle Brown, Florida Phoenix
Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried (D) is urging Florida well being officers to roll again an emergency rule that creates new restrictions on medical marijuana doses—an enormous subject for greater than 700,000 sufferers that use medical marijuana.
“The rule change is pointless, its implementation poorly notified, and its impacts extraordinarily dangerous, with lots of of 1000’s of sufferers in Florida now not capable of entry their medication within the portions they want for efficient therapy as decided by their docs,” Fried stated Thursday at a press convention on the state Capitol.
We’re sending a powerful message to the DeSantis Admin. to place sufferers first, shield their entry to authorized & lifesaving medication, and roll again these dangerous limits.
I’ll NEVER cease preventing for our medical hashish sufferers & full legalization.https://t.co/l76xXoLslB
— Commissioner Nikki Fried (@NikkiFriedFL) September 8, 2022
Fried was a marijuana lobbyist earlier than turning into Florida’s agriculture commissioner, and her company consists of state shopper safety.
The Florida Division of Well being on August 26 issued an emergency rule that creates limits on dose quantities in varied types of medical marijuana, state paperwork present. The rule went into impact the next Monday.
The rule states that “a certified doctor could not subject a doctor certification for greater than three 70-day provide limits of marijuana or greater than six 35-day provide limits of marijuana in a type for smoking.”
It continues to notice that “a 35-day provide restrict for marijuana in a type for smoking shall not exceed 2.5 ounces,” and supplies an inventory of dose limits relying on administration route, comparable to edible types, inhalation or topical.
A part of Fried’s considerations come from the well being division’s course of, which she believes has been circumvented.
Usually, when a rule is proposed, there’s time for public remark. “They didn’t need the feedback. They didn’t need that time frame,” Fried stated.
Fried additionally offered a letter to Florida Surgeon Common Joseph Ladapo on Thursday, saying, “Three days’ discover is not only inconsiderate, it’s irresponsible. It has precipitated chaos, confusion, and rightful panic amongst sufferers and suppliers.”
“By limiting sufferers to buying solely a most of 24,500 milligrams of THC over a 70-day interval and a restrict of two.5 ounces of smokable hashish in a 35-day interval, the state is overriding the skilled judgment of docs and endangering the well being of sufferers,” Fried continued.
“Many sufferers require the flexibility to buy a better dosage in a number of types as a way to check combos and discover one of the best steadiness to deal with their specific situation in session with their physician. The state has no enterprise inserting itself into nuanced selections being made between sufferers and their well being care suppliers,” Fried’s letter stated.
The Phoenix requested for remark from the Florida Division of Well being, however workers has not but responded.