{"id":1885,"date":"2021-10-20T08:20:00","date_gmt":"2021-10-20T08:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/wp-home\/?p=181892"},"modified":"2021-10-20T08:20:00","modified_gmt":"2021-10-20T08:20:00","slug":"weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/?p=1885","title":{"rendered":"Weed could swing Florida\u2019s governor race \u2014 Will the winner finally do right by Black farmers?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Weed could swing Florida\u2019s governor race \u2014 Will the winner finally do right by Black farmers? – Leafly<\/title> <!-- This is Index Exchange, a script\/\/3rd-party integration that interjects GAM. It needs to be 'ahead' of GTM in the DOM, which comes from Cephalopod. GTM loads GAM. This script needs to setup it's interjection stuff before GAM loads. --> <!-- End Index Exchange --> <!-- Quotes = strings--><!-- No quotes = boolean-->\t <!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v17.1.2 (Yoast SEO v17.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ --> <!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. --> <\/p>\n<p> <!-- BEGIN Sailthru Horizon Meta Information --><\/p>\n<p><!-- END Sailthru Horizon Meta Information --> <!-- Google Publisher Tag --> <!-- End Google Publisher Tag --> <!-- Google Tag Manager --> <!-- End Google Tag Manager --> <!-- Chartbeat --> <!-- End Chartbeat --><br \/>\n <!-- Google Tag Manager (noscript) --> <!-- End Google Tag Manager (noscript) --> <title>Leafly<\/title> <title>Leafly \u00ae<\/title> <title>Loading\u2026<\/title> <\/p>\n<div class=\"bg-white fixed flex hidden inset-0 items-start md:h-auto md:items-center overflow-auto\" id=\"age-gate-container\">\n<div class=\"bg-white md:h-auto mx-auto p-lg text-sm w-full\" id=\"age-gate\">\n<p><label for=\"select-country\">Where are you from?<\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"age-gate__info\">\n<p><button class=\"button\" data-testid=\"age-gate-no-button\" id=\"tou-cancel\">no<\/button><button class=\"button ml-md\" data-testid=\"age-gate-yes-button\" id=\"tou-continue\">yes<\/button><\/p>\n<p><label class=\"checkbox__label my-xl\"><span class=\"text-xs\" id=\"remember-user-label\">Remember me for 30 days. <br \/>I confirm that this is not a shared device.<\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<p class=\"error error--underage hidden\">Darn! You’re not old enough to use Leafly.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"hidden age-gate__loading\">Redirecting you to<span class=\"redirect-domain\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"text-xs mt-auto\">By accessing this site, you accept<br \/>\nthe <a class=\"py-xl\" data-testid=\"tou-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/info\/terms-of-use\">Terms of Use<\/a><br \/>\nand <a class=\"py-xl\" data-testid=\"pp-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/info\/privacy-policy\">Privacy Policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"container my-xl\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col md:col-9\" id=\"article-content\">\n<h4 id=\"h-despite-promises-of-inclusion-florida-s-only-minority-license-holder-is-from-out-of-state\">Despite promises of inclusion, Florida\u2019s only minority license holder is from out of state.<\/h4>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap\">Florida is home to the highest number of medical cardholders on the East Coast (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mpp.org\/issues\/medical-marijuana\/state-by-state-medical-marijuana-laws\/medical-marijuana-patient-numbers\/\">roughly 600,000<\/a>). The state has a similar population to New York, but far more registered medical patients than the Empire State\u2019s 150,000.<\/p>\n<p>New York\u2019s medical laws passed three years before Florida\u2019s, so we\u2019re not comparing apples to oranges here. The Sunshine State is second only to California when it comes to medicinal growth nationwide.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img width=\"1024\" height=\"640\" alt class=\"wp-image-85963 has-ll lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers.jpg,compress&w=550 550w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers.jpg,compress&w=740 740w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers.jpg,compress&w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers.jpg,compress&w=1480 1480w\"><figcaption>Florida is home to the largest medical cannabis market on the East Coast. (via Leafly)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Even with Florida\u2019s overwhelming patient numbers, recreational sales and use remain illegal statewide. That means just 22 licensed medicinal operators are serving over half a million patients at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.miamiherald.com\/news\/local\/marijuana\/article252253918.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">200 retail locations<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>And of Florida\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/news\/florida-politics\/2021\/09\/23\/have-black-florida-marijuana-farmers-fallen-too-far-behind\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">22 legal licenses<\/a>, just one is held by a Black or Brown owner. The state\u2019s sole minority-controlled license belongs to multi-state operator <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/brands\/cookies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cookies<\/a>, which originated on the West Coast. <\/p>\n<p>The lack of access for Florida\u2019s Black farmers, in particular, shows direct negligence of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mpp.org\/states\/florida\/amendment2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Amendment 2<\/a>, which first brought medical cannabis to the state. Part of the law requires that health officials grant a license to <a href=\"https:\/\/cannabislaw.foxrothschild.com\/2017\/09\/lawsuit-filed-florida-medical-marijuana-law-carve-license-black-farm-alleged-unconstitutional\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>at least<\/em> one<\/a> applicant involved in the state\u2019s ongoing Pigford cases. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" alt class=\"wp-image-99271 has-ll lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers.png,compress&w=550 550w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers.png,compress&w=740 740w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers.png,compress&w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers.png,compress&w=1480 1480w\"><figcaption>After legalizing medical cannabis in 2017, Florida still has been slow to act on adult use and social equity plans. (blankstock\/AdobeStock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Florida\u2019s ugly past with Black farmers<\/h2>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/nationalaglawcenter.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/assets\/crs\/RS20430.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pigford vs. Glickman<\/a> case started as a 1999 class-action lawsuit against the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The case was on behalf of Black farmers who claimed racial discrimination by the government.<\/p>\n<p>A judge ordered the federal agency to pay almost $1 billion to 13,300 farmers. Payment went to farmers who were denied access to farm loans and assistance between 1981 and 1996. An additional $1.2 billion was allocated to 70,000 farmers in the 2008 Pigford II settlement.<\/p>\n<p>The state has had <a href=\"https:\/\/www.capitalgazette.com\/fl-reg-marijuana-license-lawsuits-20171122-story.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">four years<\/a> and almost 85,000 potential Pigford farmers to choose from. So what\u2019s stopping Florida health officials from finding one eligible farmer to satisfy their already underwhelming social justice measures?<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s yet another chapter in the state\u2019s centuries-long neglect for Black farmers. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img width=\"620\" height=\"348\" alt class=\"wp-image-182155 has-ll lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers-1.jpg,compress&w=550 550w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers-1.jpg,compress&w=740 740w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers-1.jpg,compress&w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers-1.jpg,compress&w=1480 1480w\"><figcaption>Black sharecroppers faced exploitation and exclusion long after slavery ended. (B.W. Kilburn\/Library of Congress\/Corbis\/VCG\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Enslaved people and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.history.com\/.amp\/topics\/black-history\/sharecropping\">sharecroppers<\/a> built Florida\u2019s economy on <a href=\"https:\/\/floridahumanities.org\/floridas-culture-of-slavery\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sugar, tobacco, and cotton<\/a>. But practices like those outlined in the Pigford cases have blocked them out of the state\u2019s fruitful economy for generations.<\/p>\n<p>In the cannabis industry, Black and Brown legacy providers who ran the state\u2019s illicit markets are also waiting for a chance to participate in the industry they helped build. While they wait on the sidelines, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/states\/florida\/story\/2021\/05\/27\/florida-supreme-court-affirms-states-vertical-integration-medical-marijuana-model-1384238\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">corporate cartels<\/a> and potential monopolies are forming under the governor\u2019s nose.<\/p>\n<h2>Pot politics in the Sunshine State<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img width=\"1024\" height=\"640\" alt class=\"wp-image-26447 has-ll lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers-2.jpg,compress&w=550 550w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers-2.jpg,compress&w=740 740w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers-2.jpg,compress&w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers-2.jpg,compress&w=1480 1480w\"><figcaption>The old and new Florida State Capitol buildings in downtown Tallahassee, Florida.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It took the urgency of an upcoming election for sitting Governor Ron DeSantis to stand up in support of the long-awaited Pigford applicants. <\/p>\n<p>Last week, the governor\u2019s administration finally <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlrn.org\/news\/2021-10-14\/florida-black-farmers-medical-marijuana-license-ron-desantis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">rolled out plans<\/a> for Black cannabis farmers to apply for a license to grow, process, and dispense medicinal cannabis.<\/p>\n<p>The rollout did not specify a timeline for applications. Nor did it address the four-year gap in action.<\/p>\n<p>DeSantis is holding onto a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wtsp.com\/article\/news\/politics\/desantis-leads-recent-polls-florida-governor\/67-0caa3482-2c0a-49ac-9bed-b582ccfaf4d0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">modest lead<\/a> over a pair of 420-friendly challengers in next November\u2019s race. That may be why he\u2019s aligning with one of the only bi-partisan issues left in America. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img width=\"1024\" height=\"568\" alt=\"marijuana-legalization-poll-party-affiliation-2020\" class=\"wp-image-155384 has-ll lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers-1.png,compress&w=550 550w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers-1.png,compress&w=740 740w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers-1.png,compress&w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers-1.png,compress&w=1480 1480w\"><figcaption>Democrats still favor legalization more strongly than Republicans. (Gallup Organization)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>According to a real estate survey by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/news\/homebuyer-willingness-to-relocate-survey-politics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Redfin<\/a>, almost half of Americans (46%) prefer to live or will only live in a state with legal cannabis. And the green vote extends across blue and red states, according to data. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/fact-tank\/2021\/04\/16\/americans-overwhelmingly-say-marijuana-should-be-legal-for-recreational-or-medical-use\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pew Research Center<\/a> found that 72% of Democrats and 47% of Republicans support legalization for medical and recreational use. <a href=\"https:\/\/news.gallup.com\/poll\/323582\/support-legal-marijuana-inches-new-high.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gallup<\/a> reported similar figures by party (83% and 48%) as well as a five-point jump from last year\u2019s percent of U.S. adults who now consider \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/news.gallup.com\/poll\/312929\/record-low-say-death-penalty-morally-acceptable.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">marijuana to be morally acceptable<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>With the Florida governor race coming to a boil, this is DeSantis\u2019 last chance for genuine action. A top priority should be doing right by the legacy farmers he\u2019s left out of the state\u2019s booming bud economy for far too long.<\/p>\n<h2>Can Democratic challengers pull the dank vote?<\/h2>\n<p>DeSantis\u2019 latest smokescreen could help create distance between pot positive challengers Charlie Crist and Nikki Fried.<\/p>\n<p>Crist served as Florida\u2019s governor from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wptv.com\/news\/political\/can-charlie-crist-do-it-again-a-closer-look-at-former-governors-third-bid-for-office\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2007 to 2009<\/a> and left without seeking re-election. In 2012, the former Republican changed parties to support Barack Obama\u2019s campaign. In 2014, he became a public advocate of cannabis legalization. <\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s also close with prominent Florida businessman John Morgan, who helped <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/story\/2014\/10\/john-morgan-florida-2014-elections-medical-marijuana-111759\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">bankroll the fight<\/a> to legalize medical in 2014 with his group United for Care.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img width=\"1024\" height=\"641\" alt class=\"wp-image-7706 has-ll lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers-3.jpg,compress&w=550 550w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers-3.jpg,compress&w=740 740w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers-3.jpg,compress&w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers-3.jpg,compress&w=1480 1480w\"><figcaption>A cancer patient waters a marijuana plant that is being grown in a private backyard garden. Florida residents, with the help of a group called United for Care, and prominent Florida attorney John Morgan, petitioned to get the medical legalization on the ballot in 2014 (AP Photo\/Alex Menendez)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Last week, Crist made headlines by <a href=\"https:\/\/thehill.com\/homenews\/state-watch\/576899-crist-says-as-florida-governor-he-would-legalize-marijuana-expunge?rl=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">announcing<\/a> his \u201cCrist Contract With Florida.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>The contract includes ideas on expungement, home grow of up to six plants for personal use, criminal justice reform, expanded re-entry programs, and tax revenue for police, nonprofits, and teachers.<\/p>\n<p>Still, Crist contract\u2019s does not address how an adult-use market would look under his leadership, including licensing for minority applicants. <\/p>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/news\/politics\/leafly-seeds-of-change-2021-report-rates-states-on-marijuana-equity\" class=\"wp-block-leafly-blocks-leafly-single-inline-block leafly-inline-related-story\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"border border-deep-green-alt border-l-0 border-r-0 my-xl p-md font-bold\">\n<p>Related<\/p>\n<p>New \u2018Seeds of Change\u2019 report rates states on cannabis equity, finds most lacking<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a> <\/p>\n<h2>Fried rhymes with weed for a reason<\/h2>\n<p>Crist\u2019s competition on the left is Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, a popular advocate for the plant across the state. <\/p>\n<p>Last week, Fried pulled rank on Crist and DeSantis via Twitter. She wrote, \u201cImitation is flattery, but records are records. People went to jail because Republicans like <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CharlieCrist\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">@CharlieCrist<\/a> supported and enforced racist marijuana crime bills. Glad he\u2019s changed his mind, but none of those people get those years back.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Fried\u2019s Twitter account also called out a $146,000 non-refundable application fee included in DeSantis\u2019 latest plan for Pigford case applicants.<\/p>\n<p>She tweeted, \u201cLet\u2019s not let a former governor\u2019s flip flopping press conference on marijuana distract from our current governor doubling fees on Black farmers applying for a medical marijuana treatment center licenses. The fee hike by <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GovRonDeSantis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">@GovRonDeSantis<\/a> is discriminatory and should be repealed.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><\/figure>\n<h2>Whoever wins has dues to pay<\/h2>\n<p>Florida agriculture\u2019s past exploitation and exclusion can\u2019t be fixed by a court settlement or special class of licenses. And the lack of action on small gestures of inclusion like the Pigford cases doesn\u2019t inspire confidence in more substantial action.<\/p>\n<p>The impact of slavery and sharecropping did immeasurable harm to Black farmers in America\u2019s south for centuries. As the state rides its new cash crop to untold riches, the winner of Florida\u2019s race for governor will be on the clock from day one. to responsibly handle the power that comes from our favorite magical plant.<\/p>\n<h2>Budding Mary Jane monopolies<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img width=\"1024\" height=\"640\" alt class=\"wp-image-83908 has-ll lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers-4.jpg,compress&w=550 550w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers-4.jpg,compress&w=740 740w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers-4.jpg,compress&w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/thcinct.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/weed-could-swing-floridas-governor-race-will-the-winner-finally-do-right-by-black-farmers-4.jpg,compress&w=1480 1480w\"><figcaption>(Conor Buckley for Leafly)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Almost five years after Amendment 2 made medical use possible, state cannabis agency OMMU requested nearly $13 million of additional funds. The money will be used to double workforce, publicize medical use, add transportation vehicles, and open regional offices, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/l5iGD23-DxY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CBS Miami<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Florida recently became home to the nation\u2019s largest cannabis retailer with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/news\/florida-politics\/2021\/10\/01\/florida-company-trulieve-now-nations-largest-marijuana-retailer\/?outputType=amp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">$2.1 billion<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/search?q=Trulieve\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Truelieve<\/a> deal struck by former competitor Harvest Health & Recreation Inc.<\/p>\n<p>But as many legal states have already learned, sound economies do not include monopolies. And it is much easier to bake fair social equity measures into laws from inception than to retrofit new rules onto active markets.<\/p>\n<p>Another 2017 addition to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mpp.org\/states\/florida\/amendment2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Amendment 2<\/a> called for Florida to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/news\/business\/2021\/10\/14\/state-health-officials-seek-more-funding-to-support-growing-marijuana-industry\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">add 19 more<\/a> treatment centers to meet increased demand across the state.<\/p>\n<p>The move was aimed at preventing the monopolies from forming after medical laws were first passed. Five years later, much like the Pigford licenses, those 19 new joints haven\u2019t come to pass either.<\/p>\n<div class=\"leafly-sailthru-signup p-lg my-xl bg-white rounded elevation-low border border-light-grey\">\n<p class=\"text-xs pt-lg\">By submitting this form, you will be subscribed to news and promotional emails from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\">Leafly<\/a> and you agree to Leafly’s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/company\/tos\">Terms of Service<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leafly.com\/company\/privacy-policy\">Privacy Policy<\/a>. You can unsubscribe from Leafly email messages anytime.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <!-- Chartbeat --> <!-- End Chartbeat --> <!--\nPerformance optimized by W3 Total Cache. Learn more: https:\/\/www.boldgrid.com\/w3-total-cache\/ Served from: _ @ 2021-10-20 17:09:36 by W3 Total Cache\n--><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Weed could swing Florida\u2019s governor race \u2014 Will the winner finally do right by Black farmers? – Leafly Leafly Leafly \u00ae Loading\u2026 Where are you from? noyes Remember me for 30 days. I confirm that this is not a shared device. Darn! You’re not old enough to use Leafly. Redirecting you to By accessing this site, you accept the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Despite promises of inclusion, Florida\u2019s only minority license holder is from out of state. Florida is home to the highest number of medical cardholders on the East Coast (roughly 600,000). The state has a similar… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1885","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-marijuana_information"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1885","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1885"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1885\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1885"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1885"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1885"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}