Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a bill allowing two Black farmers to obtain medical marijuana business licenses. The law, implemented in 2017, required one license for a Black farmer covered by the “Pigford” class action litigation against the USDA. However, the Florida Department of Health only opened applications for the special license last year. DeSantis signed the bill last month, and the department has since approved licenses for two out of 12 applicants. Gwinn and Shedrick McGriff received the licenses and expressed gratitude for the approval. The law requires the department to approve licenses for those who meet all licensure requirements and allows a 90-day curing period for deficiencies. DeSantis, a 2024 Republican presidential candidate, opposes adult-use cannabis legalization and has also signed legislation banning sales of consumable hemp products to people under 21. He also signed a measure prohibiting sober living facilities from allowing residents to possess or use medical marijuana, even if a doctor is certified to legally use cannabis therapeutically.
If voters enact the marijuana legalization initiative, Florida could generate between $195.6 million and $431.3 million in new sales tax revenue annually.
