Kaitlin Barbier
In Motion Staff Writer
In June of 2014, Florida Governor Rick Scott signed a bill that gives patients with certain life-threating ailments access to low-THC oils derived from cannabis called cannabidiol, CBD for short. This is shocking considering that the state of Florida has the harshest laws in the U.S. regarding marijuana.
With more people learning about CBD oil, it is quickly becoming commercialized in Florida and is in high demand. CBD oil falls under the same importation and commerce laws as other hemp products. This means that consumption of CBD oil is federally legal. The U.S. government sees CBD oil as a dietary supplement which means that you do not need a prescription to purchase and consume it. CDB oil is sold in many forms. There are vaporizer CBD oil liquids, CBD oil wax that can also be used in vaporizers, and there are edible gummies or jollies.
Although CBD oil comes from the same plant as THC it is viewed differently because it is not psychoactive. CBD oil will not make you feel “high” like the THC part of the marijuana plant. The U.S. government has sponsored much of the scientific and clinical research done on CBD oil. Their research shows that CBD oil can help patients looking for relief from a wide range of conditions including inflammation, pain, anxiety, psychosis, seizures and other conditions without the feeling of lethargy. The U.S. government may have done their research but this does not mean that CBD is a “cure” for these aliments.
When purchasing CBD there are rules when it comes to certain vocabulary.
Emily Edenburg, the Senior Account Manager for Green Roads, a Florida based CBD company, says “We can’t make medical claims, we can only tell personal stories and direct people to our reviews.”
Medical claims can’t be made when selling CBD because the FDA considers CBD an unapproved new drug that’s being misbranded by the companies. It would be a violation by promising cures for cancer, autism, epilepsy and other conditions.
Yohan Cohen, owner of Purple Haze Smoke Shop, says in regards to restricting medical claims, “It’s not in our position to play doctor.”
That doesn’t stop him from selling CBD though. Cohen believes that everything that comes from the ground is here for a reason.
“It doesn’t have any chemicals, it’s a natural product straight from the hemp plant,” says Cohen.
Some Daytona State students agree with this idea and also think that CBD oil will do great things for Florida residents. Amanda Harrison, a student at DSC, says she believes it’s a step closer to having marijuana legalized, adding that “Some students, like myself, might have pain that the CBD could relieve. They’d be able to focus more on class instead of worrying about the pain.”
M With CBD oil knowledge spreading in Florida, its popularity could prove to be good for people like John Morgan, a prominent Orlando attorney and medical pot advocate who has spent millions in the effort to legalize it. His controversial medical marijuana amendment is back on the ballot in November for Florida’s general elections. Morgan’s organization collected 692,000 certified signatures, that’s 10,000 more than the minimum required
He is predicting the initiative that lost last election will have a resounding win on Nov. 8.