{"id":1705,"date":"2017-03-06T15:56:45","date_gmt":"2017-03-06T15:56:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cannachronicle.com\/?p=1705"},"modified":"2017-03-07T00:41:04","modified_gmt":"2017-03-07T00:41:04","slug":"exposed-pay-to-play-medical-marijuana-ordinance-to-favor-only-one-grower-in-hillsborough","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cannachronicle.com\/2017\/03\/06\/exposed-pay-to-play-medical-marijuana-ordinance-to-favor-only-one-grower-in-hillsborough\/","title":{"rendered":"Exposed: Pay to Play Medical Marijuana Ordinance to Favor Only One Grower in Hillsborough"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The Hillsborough county commission will hear public comments and take a vote on a controversial\u00a0proposed medical marijuana zoning ordinance.<\/p>\n

Draft language of the new ordinance in Hillsborough plans to create a 30-day window for marijuana companies to apply for a limited number of licenses. That means that only the 7 current state licence holders would be able to apply<\/p>\n

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the county is not protecting patients but a handful of politically connected growers. Fewer competitors will lead to higher prices and less access for consumers, said Sen. Jeff Brandes, a St. Petersburg Republican who has sponsored a bill to open up Florida to more medical marijuana businesses.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This\u00a0ordinance would only allow for only 13 \u00a0Dispensaries for all of\u00a0Hillsborough county for the next year. To put that into context, unincorporated Hillsborough county has over 120 pharmacies.<\/p>\n

this ordinance\u00a0is sponsored by<\/p>\n

Stacy White<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

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District 4, Chairman<\/span><\/p>\n

Sources say that Stacy White could be accepting\u00a0money and favors from lobbyist groups\u00a0representing 1 of the 7 licensed growers. This would explain why he is so eager to pass this ordinance\u00a0that heavily\u00a0favors one license holder. here is his facebook page\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

San Felasco Nurseries, a\u00a0licensed grower, is pushing for the county to adopt these rules through its lobbyist, Igniting Florida. Since Hillsborough enacted a six-month medical marijuana moratorium in October, Beth Leytham and Todd Pressman, lobbyists for Igniting Florida, have registered 24 meetings with county commissioners and staff, including eight with commissioner Stacy White<\/a>, according to county records.<\/p>\n

We need to tell the Hillsborough county commission and\u00a0commissioner Stacy White<\/a> to slow down and not pass legislation\u00a0that favors one grower. We need to let our presence be seen<\/p>\n

Where and when is the public hearing?<\/strong><\/p>\n

3\/7\/17 6:00 P.M.<\/p>\n

County Center 601 E. Kennedy Blvd. 2nd Floor, Boardroom Tampa FL, 33602<\/span><\/p>\n

RSVP for the public hearing here\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

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