A 22-year-old patient with debilitating seizures proved to Dr. Ron Aung-Din that medical marijuana is a useful, plant-based treatment for a wide array of illnesses.
The active ingredients in the marijuana plant – known as cannabinoids – significantly reduced his patient’s seizures.
“That was the beginning of my era of enlightenment,” said Aung-Din, a neurologist in Sarasota.
Aung-Din was among a panel of experts to share his experiences with medical marijuana with Pasco County commissioners during a two-hour workshop on Dec. 6 in Dade City.
Other speakers were Megan Stone, owner of The High Road Design Studio in Arizona; Chris Dunn, owner of Global Operations for Covered 6; Mark Janotti, an architect who designs dispensaries; Kim Rivers, chief executive officer of Trulieve, which was the first to open a Florida dispensary; and Ben Atkins, operations manager of Trulieve.
Stone, Dunn and Rivers participated via phone calls.
County commissioners are grappling with how to implement local regulations on medical marijuana.
Voters statewide overwhelmingly approved a Nov. 8 referendum to expand an existing medical marijuana program. Currently, a low-level form of medical marijuana, known as Charlotte’s web, is available to some patients with seizure disorders or late-stage cancer.
Within six months, the Florida Department of Health is expected to issue regulations that will allow treatment for more illnesses, and also allow more potent strains.
County commissioners were scheduled to have public hearings, and final votes, on three ordinances related to medical marijuana on Dec. 13, before The Laker/Lutz News’ press deadline.
They would restrict dispensaries to industrially zoned districts; set operating regulations for dispensaries; and, extend by one year an existing moratorium on the cultivation, production and dispensing of cannabis, the product used to make medical marijuana.
The current moratorium expires Dec. 31.
The workshop was part of ongoing efforts by commissioners to be schooled on all aspects of the medical marijuana industry.
There is a lot of misinformation about the subject, Aung-Din said.
Until 1937 when marijuana became illegal, the neurologist said, “Cannabis was very much part of traditional American medicine.”
The difference now, he said, is that “people are not getting their needs met (with traditional medicine).”
Stone offered commissioners insight into how dispensaries are operated. Her company has designed dispensaries including The Healing Center in San Diego and Minerva Canna Group in Albuquerque.
The Healing Center is a small storefront inside a medical building. Minerva Canna Group is one of several retail shops.
Their designs are upscale, sophisticated and professional.
“People are just dispensing medicine,” Stone said. “There is none of the drug culture element. We are serving all demographics. The shelves are not lined with joints.”
Stone said employees at these dispensaries typically would earn $13, $14 or $15 an hour.
That seemed like a high wage to Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore.
“They are not going to pay $15 an hour for those jobs in Florida,” he said.
Dunn gave commissioners perspective on security at dispensaries. He is a former undercover narcotics officer.
“The cash is always an issue,” he said.
Because marijuana is illegal under federal law, most banks don’t want to run afoul of federal regulations and won’t open accounts or make loans to people working in the marijuana industry.
That means most dispensaries operate with cash-only, which raises concerns for some about robberies and increased crime.
But, Dunn said, “The biggest problem is mainly internal theft.”
Nine out of 10 times, theft comes from inside the business, he added.
Trulieve was the first company to open dispensaries in Florida with one each in Tallahassee and Clearwater. The first medical marijuana delivery went to a resident of Hudson.
Rivers said she anticipated Trulieve would open five additional locations in the next months. Medical marijuana is available in capsules, tinctures (in liquid form), oral syringes and two types of vaporizers.
A topical specifically for skin cancer patients might be added in the future, she said.
Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey had concerns about people illegally obtaining identification cards to receive medical marijuana. She recounted stories from two people who visited California who said they were approached by strangers selling medical marijuana cards.
Atkins said Florida law makes it unlikely that could happen. The program is strictly regulated through the state’s electronic registry. Besides the doctor, only the dispensary and police officers can access the registry, he said.
Dosages expire after 45 days. Currently there are about 200 doctors who have qualified to approve medical marijuana, Atkins said.
“We don’t see that growing very much,” he added.
However, county commissioners expressed concerns about how to limit the number of dispensaries in Pasco.
“I’d hate to see these just everywhere,” said Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley.
Published December 14, 2016
