Coral Springs Commission Votes to Allow Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Amid Diverse Opinions
Headaches, epilepsy, chronic pain, PTSD, sleeplessness, and depression are just some of the disorders millions of Americans suffer from, and which drive them to marijuana seeking relief. Although medical marijuana is now legal in Florida, finding a place to obtain it presents its own difficulty.
Jackie Hernandez, 19, a junior at Florida Atlantic University suffers from chronic headaches, general anxiety disorder, and depression and believes she is someone who will benefit from having a local, more convenient dispensary. She’s one of many individuals that have to either drive far to find the closest dispensary or wait for it to be delivered, which is only offered on certain days depending on the company of choice.
“I get headaches at random times and they occur often. When I’m doing homework, I can’t focus or look at the screen too long without feeling tension. Medical marijuana won’t make anything I endure go away but it definitely helps in relieving pain,” said Hernandez. “Having this closer dispensary will allow for tangible treatment that’s better and safer for everyone who needs it.”
The controversy surrounding the use of medical marijuana has been an ongoing uphill battle in the state of Florida. For example, in 2016 over 71 percent of Florida voters approved of medical marijuana, former Republican Gov. Rick Scott still signed a bill that banned the usage of all smokable forms of the marijuana plant afterward.
Due to the significant limitations the legislature placed on municipalities to zone and regulate medical facilities, many cities, including Coral Springs, decided to ban all medical marijuana dispensing organizations and treatment centers- enacting Ordinance 2017–124. However, the city commission has recently directed staff to re-review the ban on medical marijuana dispensaries and consider regulations on pharmacies.
Some of the biggest issues surrounding the debate of whether or not to permit the distribution of medical marijuana has been attributed to misguided information and lack of educating the public on the purpose and process of dispensing facilities. Though marijuana is currently a schedule I drug according to the Drug Enforcement Administration, Coral Springs city commission has made the decision to repeal the original ordinance in its entirety and open discussion for the possibility of medical dispensaries within city limits.
On March 20, deputy city manager, Horace McHugh, gave a presentation to further discuss pharmacies and medical marijuana regulations, emphasizing that the proposed statute only allows for medical marijuana use, not non-medical or recreational via Senate Bill 8A.
“The city has the ability to either prohibit or permit the dispensing of dispensaries but if it’s done then it has to be regulated in the same manner as we do pharmacies,” said McHugh.
The state already has regulations in place for dispensaries that require any medical centers or facilities to have secure storage when not being dispensed, drug-free workplace policy implemented for employees, photo identification must be worn, fully operational security alarm and surveillance system, and other items. One of the most important requirements per state advisement is the 500-foot separation of these dispensaries from schools (K-12, vocational, and colleges).
According to McHugh, if the city were to implement regulations, not only would they mirror those required by the state but also take it a step further and introduce specific city-set regulations such as on-site consumption schedules, required participation in the city’s Trespass Affidavit program, provide an annual certificate of compliance, and process for license revocation for non-compliance. The city plans even have a recommended buffer that extends beyond the state mandatory 500-foot separation between dispensaries as well as public parks, pre-schools, houses of worship, and pain management clinics. 1000 to 1500-foot buffers were also introduced as viable options.
Various individuals from the public have spoken in support of medical marijuana use such as Coral Springs resident, Brett Robert, who believes that dispensaries should be allowed in the city.
“I understand where the opposition is and why some people may have originally wanted a prohibition because we’re coming off of a time period [in] which a lot of misinformation about marijuana or cannabis was being spread,” said Robert.
Through subsequent experience and understanding about this topic, as well as research, Robert has discovered that a lot of concerns about marijuana from the public are unfounded.
“A lot of people don’t know, although the knowledge is starting to spread throughout the general public that marijuana is completely non-toxic. There is no way to overdose from it. You can drink water to a point that if you consume enough in a short amount of time your system will be thrown off and you can die but that cannot happen with cannabis,” he said. Robert believes that once citizens gain more experience with cannabis, that they’ll see in time how the original concerns people once had will not cause problems.
Nancy Metayer, a member of the Broward County Soil and Water Conservation Board, said that 76 percent of Coral Springs residents supported Amendment Two and desire access to medical marijuana dispensaries, which can reduce dependence on painkillers by up to 20 percent.
“In 2017, roughly 600 people died in Broward County from accidental overdose and of those overdose deaths 50 occurred in Coral Springs,” Metayer said. “Once our residents have access to dispensaries, residents will receive the medically prescribed care they require and deserve and the greater community will experience economic growth as a result.”
Coral Springs now has the ability to set an example for other surrounding cities who may still be wary of implementing medical marijuana dispensaries within city limits. This is something that’ll allow for those exposed to various medical conditions such as epilepsy, glaucoma, pain, mental health conditions like schizophrenia and posttraumatic stress disorder.
