Roughly 16 months after Florida’s governor signed a bill legalizing CBD-based oils, officials drafting guidelines for the new industry have not been able to decide which five nurseries they will approve to cultivate and distribute cannabis.
That means the goal of making the oils available to patients with cancer and epilepsy by Jan. 1 is highly unlikely, leaving many businesses and patients frustrated.
The CBD law divides the state into five districts, each of which will be home to one license-holder that can cultivate and distribute CBD oils. More than two dozen growers applied for the coveted licenses, which will only be doled out to long-time nurseries. The process has also been beset by lawsuits.
Last year, a measure to legalize a broader medical marijuana program in Florida fell just short, and supporters hope to get another measure before voters next November.
