Hopes High For Passage Of Medical Marijuana Amendment
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - In just a couple of weeks Florida will vote whether to legalize medical marijuana.
However, marijuana is being grown and harvested legally here in South Florida. In fact the company making it began selling it just a few weeks ago. CBS4's David Sutta has an exclusive look at the operation and how they can do this, legally.
Dr. Eddie Blanco is a pharmacist and director of product research at Modern Health Concepts. Recently there were television cameras inside a building that's never been televised before. The building is home to South Florida's first and only medical marijuana production facility. To come inside CBS4 signed a confidentiality agreement stating we would not disclose its location, show security measures, and would not shoot footage of marijuana plants.
We wondered why they were going to such great lengths with security.
"First the security protocols that we have implemented here are required by the state. I think secondly, and most importantly, we want to ensure that we built a facility that's safe for our community, for our employees, and the facility that we built to ensure it's safe," Richard Young, the CEO of Modern Health Concepts, explained.
Modern Health Concepts, or MHC, launched their first and only product Haley's Hope just a few weeks ago.
"We wanted to launch with a product that would provide immediate benefit for our patients in need," Blanco said.
The oil they are selling is called CBD. It is derived from marijuana plants, but unlike the marijuana you know the oil lacks THC, the ingredient that gets you high.
In 2014, Florida legislators approved the use of CBD oil for people suffering from seizures, muscle spasms, and those dealing with terminal cancer. The whole process is heavily regulated by the state. Everything is done in a lab, tracked, and independently tested to make sure no products with THC are being sold.
"We are trying to get to a purity and a precise dose and deliver to the patients what is exactly is the need," said Blanco.
Adele Osorio is one of MHC's first customers. She is a believer
"Oh God, more than a believer. My life can change from this. I can get back my life possibly," said Osorio. "I was a gymnast as a kid. I was very physically strong. I was a school physiologist. I had a beautiful home and beautiful life. And when I became ill I lost everything. And I've been struggling with that for over 16 years."
With just a few weeks of doses Osorio said her life has changed. She can sleep and skip her daily pain pills.
"For the last three weeks I have not had to take a muscle relaxer at all. At all. I've been taking them for over 16 years," said Osorio.
The oil cost her $3 to $4 dollars a dose. It's not covered by insurance.
Osorio showed us how you use it. First she filled syringe with the oil.
"You just take it and put it under your tongue. And you swish it around a bit and then you just don't drink, don't eat anything for about 15 minutes. And that's it," she said.
When asked what's it tastes like she breaks out laughing.
"It does not taste good. It doesn't taste good at all," Osoria said with a laugh.
If Florida passes Amendment 2, which would legalize medical marijuana, it would mean THC, the component that gets users high, could be added back into this CBD oil.
Critics argue it's an unproven and dangerous combination. Supporters say it could be life changing.
"Just to have a life again. A normal life again. It means everything," Osorio said.
Richard Young agreed.
"I think our biggest challenge, like anything new in the industry, is education. We need to educate our community. We need to educate the physicians. And we need to educate the patients on what medical cannabis can offer as an alternative option to where traditional methods haven't worked," he said.
Currently CBD oil is being delivered to patients. In the coming months dispensaries or stores will open around South Florida.
If medical marijuana is passed the number of dispensaries will dramatically increase.
Early estimates suggest there could be more than 2,000 medical marijuana shops. Modern Health Concepts CEO believes the state is prepared for it.
"A patient has to be diagnosed by a doctor. Has to have a three month relationship with that doctor. Is under a physician's care and a physician determines if it's appropriate care for a person or not," Young said.
The marijuana industry is betting big on Florida's Amendment 2. There are six companies approved to cultivate and sell medical marijuana. It's been said they cannot survive just selling CBD oil. In other words Amendment 2 could make or break them.
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