JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Two nurseries in Jacksonville are among 28 applicants statewide looking for a license from the Department of Health to grow and produce Charlotte’s Web, a low-THC cannabis used to treat seizures.
Loops Nursery and Greenhouses Inc. and Hart’s Plant Nursery Inc. both applied for licenses, according to the Department of Health.
Five nurseries in the Northeast region applied for the licenses but only one from each region will be selected.
Cathy Klein said Charlotte’s Web would make a major difference in her 10-year-old son Sean’s everyday life.
"Unfortunately, this is life and death for a lot of our kids,” Klein said.
Sean has been suffering from seizures for more than eight years and his mom is hoping the medical marijuana can ease his symptoms.
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"We've tried nine medications,” Klein said. “We've tried diets. We've tried all other kinds of crazy things and to date nothing controls the seizures. So this is kind of like a last hope."
The Department of Health has 90 days to review all of the applications.
"They're going to have a whole lot of happy families on the other end of this,” Klein said.
One agricultural expert told Action News the restrictions on the law will limit business for the nurseries and options for customers.
“I think it’s far too restrictive,” Turning Tide founder Chris Trad said.
Turning Tide is a company that assists marijuana farmers and has patents on industrial farming systems.
“This is a very small opening cell, though, if you will,” Trad said. “My guess is that it’s not going to be profitable at all and then they’ll start to lobby the legislature to open it up to more illnesses.”
WJAX
