At the beginning of the month, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried announced a newly-created Medical Marijuana Advisory Committee, which will collaborate with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to help improve the state’s medical marijuana policies.
“I’m proud to establish the medical marijuana advisory committee to help expand patient access and to advance and modernize policies to move Florida into the future of medical marijuana. This is a plant that not only improves people’s quality of life, it’s an alternative to sometimes-dangerous pharmaceuticals and addictive opioids. It’s a medicine that an overwhelming majority of Floridians came together for, calling for constitutionally-guaranteed access.”
The new 18-member committee will convene telephonically and in-person bimonthly to work through ways to expand patient access, increase innovation and technology in the industry, and make recommendations to the Legislature and the Department of Health’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use to improve Florida’s medical marijuana policies and programs. Cannabis Director Holly Bell will be responsible for overseeing the organization of the committee.
“From affordability to accessibility and safety, we have a moral obligation to act in the best interest of Florida’s patients, and to improve and build progress on our state’s current medical marijuana policies to best deliver this important medicine – and the medical marijuana advisory committee will help us deliver,” shared Commissioner Nikki Fried. “I’m thankful to all of our committee members for their commitment and look forward to working with them on behalf of Florida’s patients.”
