A Central Florida medical marijuana grower received a license to open a dispensary in Midtown Tallahassee one week before the City Commission is scheduled to vote on a 120-day moratorium on future permits.
Knox Medical of Winter Garden had applied for a building permit to convert an old Super Lube on Thomasville Road several months ago, before commissioners began discussing a need for a moratorium. The permit was approved Jan. 18, the same day the sale went through. Construction has not yet begun.
The City Commission is set to vote Wednesday on a four-month moratorium to give planners a chance to come up with recommendations for regulating where future dispensaries are located. Currently, dispensaries are allowed wherever medical-related businesses are allowed.
Adam Sharon, a spokesman for Knox Medical, said the dispensary is expected to open some time in the second quarter of this year.
Sunshine Car Care, owner of several Super Lubes, sold the building and half-acre property to 1902 Thomasville LLC for $875,000. Paperwork on the sale was filed Monday afternoon.
It will be the third medical marijuana dispensary in the city and the first one close to Tallahassees urban center. The other two are located along the northeast Capital Circle corridor and are owned and operated by Trulieve of Quincy and Surterra of Ruskin.
They are among the seven companies licensed by the state to grow, process and sell medical marijuana.
Commissioners hope by the time their moratorium is lifted the Legislature will have passed regulations to implement Amendment 2, the far-reaching voter referendum that took effect Jan. 3. Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, has introduced a bill that could expand the number of licensed dealers by 20 once the number of patients on the compassionate use registry reaches 500,000.
With the passage of Amendment 2, dispensaries can sell full-strength marijuana to any patient a doctor says has a debilitating medical condition, including glaucoma, cancer, HIV and AIDS, post-traumatic stress disorder, and Crohns disease.
Five physicians in Leon County have received training and are certified to recommend medical marijuana for their patients.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker
Full Article: City Approves Permit For Midtown Medical Marijuana Dispensary
Author: Jeffrey Schweers
Contact: Tallahassee Democrat
Photo Credit: Jeffrey Schweers
Website: Tallahassee Democrat
