Select Florida Nurseries Nearly Set to Start Growing Special Medical Marijuana Strain

TALLAHASSEE – In 2014, the Florida Legislature passed a law that would legalize the sale of low-THC marijuana for two different medicinal purposes. After a long delay, which was partly due to legal hurdles that were eventually dismissed by an Administrative Law Judge, that law's realization moved a step forward on Monday, when the state advised it had chosen the five nurseries that would be allowed to grow the plant.

The nurseries will grow a form of marijuana widely known as "Charlotte's Web." The strain, which will be grown to treat severe epilepsy and late-stage cancer, contains a tiny amount of THC, the psychoactive ingredient responsible for getting a user high in other marijuana strains.

Each nursery will be assigned to grow the medicinal crop for a specific region in the state. The Tampa Bay area will have its legal medical marijuana grown by Knox Nursery, which has been assigned to the state's Central Region. The Southeast Region for Florida has been assigned to Miami's Costa Nursery Farms; the Northwest Region went to Hackney Nursery Company; the Northeast Region went to Chestnut Hill Tree Farm; and the Southwest Region to Alpha Foliage.

Per the law's regulations, the chosen nurseries have been operating for 30 years or more and must have grown at least 400,000 plants.

Following receiving official authorization from the state to grow the medicinal marijuana plants, the nurseries have a deadline of June 2016 to start growing.