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Lawsuit: State of Florida ignoring medical marijuana law

Posted at 7:00 AM, Nov 22, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-22 14:23:12-05

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A Miami-Dade nursery and a Florida man who suffers from epilepsy are suing the administration of Gov. Rick Scott over the slow implementation of the state's medical marijuana law.

RELATED: More Medical Marijuana coverage

Bill's Nursery and Michael Bowen filed a lawsuit Tuesday that asks a judge to order the Department of Health to hand out new licenses for treatment centers. A new state law required the state to hand out 10 new licenses by October, but so far the state has only approved six.

Bowen, who said he needs medical marijuana to prevent seizures, said the department's "inexcusable foot-dragging" is preventing patients from access to medical marijuana.

Voters last year approved a constitutional amendment that authorized medical marijuana.

Mara Gambineri, a spokeswoman for the department, said that state is working "diligently" to implement the new law.