Susan Driscoll, President of Surterra Therapeutics and Managing Director of Alpha Foliage, is looking forward to leading the Florida plant nursery industry into a new era of cannabis cultivation.
Photo courtesy of Surterra Therapeutics
The Florida plant nursery industry is on the brink of a venture many people didn’t think would ever happen: the establishment of commercial cannabis culture. This past November, the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) announced the five nurseries (out of 24 applicants) selected to exclusively grow and dispense “Charlotte’s Web,” a low-THC (non-euphoric) cannabis approved for patients with intractable epilepsy and people with advanced cancer.
Now after more than six months and a state legislative session that resulted in the addition of one more authorized dispensing organization, the pieces are finally falling into place for the handful of nurseries — plus one –- to make history and forge a new enterprise for the state and alternative medicine. The “plus one,” Gainesville-based Grandiflora (San Felasco Nurseries Inc.), holds the second license in the Northeast Region –- one of the five regions designated. The other is held by Chestnut Hill Tree Farm. The remaining regions are represented by the following operations: Hackney Nursery Co. (Northwest); Knox Nursery Inc. (Central); Costa Nursery Farms LLC (Southeast); and Alpha Foliage Inc. (Southwest).
According to the FDOH, it is anticipated eligible patients will have the specialty medicine in their hands by the end of summer. The occasion will mark the end of one long road of discovery and trailblazing as well as the beginning of a new path forward.
Tampa-based Surterra Therapeutics, which is partnered with Alpha Foliage, is on track to be the first to have products available for patients throughout Florida, says Susan Driscoll, Surterra President and Managing Director of Alpha Foliage. “Surterra has been very successful moving through the process to cultivate and ultimately dispense our therapeutic cannabis products,” she says.
Though much horsepower has been put into the “Charlotte’s Web” project thus far, including the planned opening of a wellness center in Tampa this summer, Driscoll says efforts were made to ensure the core business of Alpha Foliage remains strong. “We continue to operate as a leading low-cost producer for the industry with our traditional ornamental foliage crops, and the ag community has been very supportive of this new endeavor,” she says, “because people know that it is the right thing to use our more than 30 years of experience to try to help patients in need.”
Ben Bolusky
Ben Bolusky, Executive VP/CEO of the Florida Nursery, Growers & Landscape Association, says this kind of undertaking is not for everyone. “This is a heavily weighted, up-front, costly endeavor,” he says. “If anyone thinks this is a turn-key proposition, which will generate gobs of money in the short term, they are simply not thinking clearly. The long-term potential, though, appears solid.”
Driscoll concurs, but says all the hard work is and will be worth it — for more than just what falls to the bottom line. “We are a business, but Surterra is really focused on the patients who have been waiting for natural options to empower their health,” she says. “We are excited that we are closer than ever to achieving this for the people of Florida.”
Looking longer-term, “Charlotte’s Web” might be just the gateway to greener pastures for the Sunshine State. There is a strong possibility that State Amendment 2, which would legalize marijuana for specific medical reasons, will pass in the upcoming November election.
A recently released Quinnipiac University poll revealed more than 80% of respondents say they will support Amendment 2.
During the 2014 state election, nearly 58% of registered voters chose yes on Amendment 2. However, a 60% majority was required in order to alter the state’s constitution. The defeat was attributed to a poorly written measure that was fraught with loopholes. It has been reported the updated verbiage clarifies requirements, qualifications, and other confusing terms.
How will Florida's Right To Medical Marijuana Initiative (Amendment 2) fare in the November 2016 election?
- Pass (91%, 109 Votes)
- Fail (9%, 11 Votes)
Total Voters: 120
From the time Gov. Rick Scott signed off on the historic bill allowing the medicinal use of “Charlotte’s Web” in June 2014, to now with the prospect of a larger, broader demand for cannabis-based product, Bolusky says there has been no shortage of interest from industry stakeholders. “Perhaps the best adjective to describe the general level of interest is ‘curious,’” he says. “They are curious to see how this all shakes out in the short term and what happens in November. At the moment, there are six licensed nurseries, so they will be expected to meet any broader demand. After the vote is tallied for or against the amendment, eyes will likely again be on the Florida Legislature to see if it changes the number of licenses.”
Should Amendment 2 pass, Bolusky says he’s confident that local growers will be able to handle the extra workload. “Florida’s nursery growers are among the most sophisticated in the nation,” he says. “They have proven through the years, they can handle whatever is thrown their way.”