Medical marijuana adversary takes crusade to Tallahassee

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
February 14, 2021 8:00 am
A Florida House subcommittee is meeting on Tuesday to focus on THC levels in medical marijuana. Cannabis advocates are calling the hearing the latest salvo against more than 330,000 registered patients that would lead to higher prices and less effective care. MORE-»

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As Florida lights up with solar, is clean drinking water out of style?

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
November 24, 2017 9:45 pm
For many green-friendly investors who are looking to do right for Florida, businesses involving solar energy and cannabis are shiny stars in their financial telescopes. So is clean drinking water in a state that grew by more than 1,000 new residents each day in 2016 suddenly out of style? MORE-»

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Polls show baby boomers putting charge into Amendment 2 drive

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
October 23, 2016 7:54 am
In September 2014, Luigi Costello of Sarasota was a United for Care volunteer, pacing a sidewalk on busy Manatee Avenue in Bradenton, holding big signs in each hand. At the time Costello was not typical of the block of voters who were coveted for Amendment 2. He is now. MORE-»

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New Approach, $1 million boost for medical marijuana

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
October 2, 2016 3:25 pm
With the clock winding down for Florida’s hopeful medical marijuana patients and advocates, United for Care received a $1 million boost Friday and a potential Nov. 8 difference-maker against deep-pocketed Amendment 2 opponents. MORE-»

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United for Care braces for new slugfest with medical pot foes

THE DAILY FRAY
April 26, 2016 10:34 am
Drug Free America spent roughly $7.5 million in 2014 to defeat a medical marijuana initiative by United for Care and is promising to raise $10 million to stop a revised ballot in November. For the architects behind Amendment 2, the rematch was hardly unexpected. "Bring it on," John Morgan said. MORE-»

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For Florida's flim-flamers, environment takes the hit

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
April 14, 2016 12:00 pm
That email objecting to Florida’s bear hunt? Worthless. Those signatures that put a solar energy policy on November’s ballot? Shady. The effort by lawmakers to broaden medical marijuana use? Token. And what about that tasty grouper sandwich? Bogus. MORE-»

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United for Care: Some extra gray in fall campaign

THE DAILY FRAY
January 29, 2016 9:23 am
Orlando attorney John Morgan was 9 years old in 1965 when a pot-smoking free speech activist at Berkeley said never trust anybody over 30. In November, Morgan and United for Care's campaign strategists may be more unsure about anybody under 30. MORE-»

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Ex-marijuana trafficker fields ballot measure for legalization

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
August 31, 2015 8:30 am
In Florida’s crowded field of marijuana ballot initiatives involving lawyers, doctors, teachers, political strategists, former elected officials, activists, law enforcement, and entrepreneurs, a Miami Beach semi-retiree stands out. For one thing, he can’t vote. MORE-»

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United for Care keeps distance from Regulate Florida drive

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
August 26, 2015 10:00 pm
A maverick attorney who will steer an initiative to make Florida the fifth state to fully legalize marijuana is also a fierce courtroom ally of medical marijuana patients. But the amendment drive by Regulate Florida, expected to kick off Friday, will not get an endorsement from United for Care. MORE-»

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United for Care: 100,000 and counting in new drive

THE DAILY FRAY
July 22, 2015 9:16 pm
The statewide effort to legalize medical marijuana picked up speed Wednesday when United for Care turned in roughly 100,000 signed petitions to Florida election officials. The revised amendment could be on next year's ballot “before the holidays.” MORE-»

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Revised marijuana initiative about persistence for patients

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
July 12, 2015 8:00 pm
United for Care is a year older and wiser than in July 2014 when legal medical marijuana in Florida seemed like an Election Day formality. Patients are a year older, too, and many are sicker, John Morgan says. “So many people need this law to pass in order to have some quality of life.” MORE-»

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Growth industry: State receives 28 applications for Charlotte's Web

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
July 8, 2015 7:23 pm
The last day to file an application to grow Charlotte’s Web medical marijuana was a rush. On Tuesday three nurseries were potential growers. After Wednesday’s 5 p.m. deadline, 28 landmark applications were on record with the Office of Compassionate Use, state health officials said. MORE-»

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For Charlotte's Web growers, payoff is getting closer (maybe)

THE DAILY FRAY
July 6, 2015 10:37 pm
A successful longtime black market pot grower in Washington is now a legit businessman in a state where sales top $1.4 million a day. He says “we’re the No. 9 grower in the state and my bank account just seems to stagnate.” Wait. How is that even possible? MORE-»

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Charlotte's Web patients prevail in judge's decision

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
May 27, 2015 7:38 pm
A Tallahassee judge ruled on the side of medical marijuana patients Wednesday and ended months of dizzying legal challenges against the state Department of Health that included charges of political chicanery. There was even a dose of “Charlotte’s Web” – the children’s book, not the low-THC pot. MORE-»

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United for Care restarts campaign to legalize medical marijuana

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
April 28, 2015 10:04 pm
Minutes after Florida’s legislative session abruptly ended Tuesday, advocates for medical marijuana jumped on a new campaign to forge a 2016 constitutional amendment. "I never had much faith in Tallahassee to do the right thing,” attorney John Morgan said. MORE-»

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For embattled Charlotte's Web, 2 lawsuits down and 1 hanging on

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
April 25, 2015 1:57 pm
After a monthlong courtroom paper chase, one legal challenge is still standing against Charlotte’s Web medical marijuana and the state Department of Health. A lawsuit for a 4-year-old patient was dropped. And a case involving a secretive cannabis trade group withered quickly and was withdrawn. MORE-»

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California dreamin' for some medical marijuana hopefuls

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
April 6, 2015 5:00 pm
For budding entrepreneurs in a crowded field, name recognition is big. Cannabiz Gurus, Cannabonix and Cannabilutions get style points. Medical Marijuana Inc., Medical Marijuana Centers of Florida and Medical Marijuana Dispensaries of Florida do not. Cafes, boutiques, legal teams, security, beverages. “Everyone wants to get into this business,” said Steven Cooksey, a medical marijuana business specialist. MORE-»

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Membership closely guarded by medical pot trade group

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
April 1, 2015 9:57 pm
For a newly minted, seemingly reclusive statewide organization, the Medical Cannabis Trade Association of Florida is notable for its surprise arrival on the Charlotte's Web scene – and for reaction to its sudden existence by a state lawmaker. “In response to Representative Gaetz, his comment suggests [the MCTA] is seeking publicity. This is simply not true,” a Fort Lauderdale attorney said. MORE-»

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Two new challenges for Charlotte's Web, and fresh allegations of favoritism

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
March 26, 2015 1:48 pm
Charlotte's Web medical marijuana and the state Department of Health were walloped this week by two new stacks of court papers, including more allegations that state policymakers are “motivated by their own political, financial, and business goals.” MORE-»

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Charlotte's Web: Financial interests, bias alleged in lawsuit

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
March 13, 2015 4:04 pm
Regulations to grow, cultivate and dispense Charlotte's Web are “arbitrary and capricious,” were framed by policymakers with a financial stake in medical marijuana, and are politically biased, a lawsuit against the state Department of Health alleges. But that’s not all, a Jacksonville attorney says. MORE-»

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Charlotte's Web: Patients' optimism builds for April 15

THE DAILY FRAY
March 8, 2015 7:08 pm
A new framework to regulate Charlotte's Web held up under a 21-day period of public scrutiny and tilted into another three-week test: special interests. "Barring a legal challenge to this rule by March 25, applications will be accepted as early as April 15," state health officials said. MORE-»

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A flurry of action puts Charlotte's Web on 21-day clock

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
February 7, 2015 8:45 pm
A lottery is out, a scorecard is in. State lawmakers are also out, for the time being, and a 21-day public comment period is in. And for some state nurseries that want in, caution is out as a new framework for Charlotte's Web tries to pass another round of legal and public scrutiny. MORE-»

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Campaign, part 2: Not so fast, Sheriffs say

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
February 4, 2015 9:00 am
With support in Tallahassee accelerating, the road to medical marijuana needs a passing lane. A St. Petersburg senator proposed a bill Jan. 26 to make medical marijuana legal in Florida, possibly in less than a year. The "Florida Medical Marijuana Act" was quickly hailed by cannabis allies but state sheriffs weighed in Wednesday, flagging the bill. MORE-»

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Aggressive stances offered in medical marijuana debate

By JOHN HOWELL • The Daily Fray
September 15, 2014 5:00 pm
The designated hitters in Florida’s aggressive medical marijuana debate squared off Monday at the Bradenton Women’s Club, each asking the audience to "read the amendment." MORE-»

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