Page 27 - January 2021 South Florida Hospital News

Back Cover Story: Even If Passed, One Plant Opens Its

MORE Act Won’t Have Much Effect Fern Park Dispensary

on Florida’s Cannabis Industry

Continued from page 32 Act’s attempt to try to provide a more
equitable playing field.
does do—specifically for Florida—is
send us a clear message that we need to “In Florida, we have a very limited
do more to pass marijuana legalization industry, and as far as I know, there are
in the state to receive any benefits of the no minority owners,” he said. “Most of
new federal law.” those who run the industry are wealthy,
In addition to changing the federal and have been able to benefit off of this
status of marijuana, the MORE Act new industry that so many people have
establishes a federal tax on cannabis suffered for.
products, with the tax money set aside in “In some places, like Illinois, they
a trust fund for people and businesses have created legalization packages where
that have been affected by the federal a certain amount of revenue and tax dol-
war on drugs. lars are required to be given back to
“I think that the government is going minority-owned businesses to level the
to have a hard time determining the tax playing field,” he added. “Their MMTCs
amount; in states that have legalized are required to provide guidance and
marijuana, like California, the taxes are mentoring for new business to create
extremely high—around 25 percent— more diversity in the industry, which is a
which continues to encourage the neces- great thing. I’m hoping to see something
sity of a black market,” said Minardi. like that eventually come to Florida to
“I don’t think that something like 5 allow more diverse people to get into the
percent is unreasonable; so-called sin market.”
taxes, like those for tobacco and luxury Even with the Biden administration
items, are often taxed higher,” he added. coming in, Minardi is concerned that the
“Coming out of COVID, it would create push for legalization won’t advance very
a great revenue stream for the federal quickly, regardless of whether the Act
government that never existed before.” passes.
The Act would also start a formal “I honestly don’t think that anything
process for expunging federal marijuana will have a chance in this arena unless
convictions, providing review hearings we change the leadership in the U.S. sen-
for people serving federal sentences for ate, which is something that needs to
cannabis-related crimes. continue to be pushed,” he said. “I think

Minardi has already been fielding the Biden administration will be similar
questions from people about this part of to the days of the Obama administration,
the Act. “What people don’t realize is where there was more of a national poli-
that this will not affect people who were cy to not proceed against any of these
arrested or charged under state laws,” he industries or states, and to allow it to

explained. “The expungement is for fed- continue as a social experiment.”
eral crimes, so it doesn’t affect people on If the MORE Act was to pass against
the state level.” all odds, Minardi doesn’t believe it will
While one of the goals of the MORE sway Florida legislators.
Act is to create a more equitable and just “Our Republican-controlled House
cannabis sector, many believe that it still and Senate won’t push the issue at all,
needs more work. Joe Bayern, president regardless of what happens on the feder-
and incoming CEO of Curaleaf, for al level,” he said. “But hopefully, it
example, said in a recent statement that would be less of an excuse for legislators
the company “cannot support the lan- to hide behind.
guage as written in the current bill, as it “Because marijuana was illegal on the
punishes social equity applicants and federal level, the argument had been that
owners for prior cannabis arrests,” it needed to be tightly regulated; that we
which he believes is the antithesis of the had to have a very limited market in
original intent. order to follow federal guidelines,” he
“Like any piece of legislation, it has its continued. “But it might open up more
good points and bad points, but I think discussion if the federal government got
it’s a good first step in a great direction,” out of the way.
said Minardi. “It’s not perfect, but no “This shouldn’t be a Republican or
piece of legislation is. I don’t have a Democratic issue, especially when these
problem with most of the language representatives have spent so much time
because I think it will be revised; what it lately talking about personal freedom,”
does do is get a dialog moving on the he added. “There’s nothing more person-
federal level for cannabis decriminaliza- al than the ability or right to use
tion.” cannabis in the privacy of one’s own
He adds that he is pleased with the home.”

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