ORLANDO, Fla. — A drug designed to help children dealing with epilepsy has been held up by the state for over a year, but relief could be in sight for them.
A local grower may soon start producing a strain of medical marijuana known as "Charlotte's Web."
The Legislature passed "Charlotte's Web," a bill legalizing the strain of non-euphoric medical marijuana to help kids with epilepsy and people suffering from brain injuries.
A fight between state agencies and a series of lawsuits held up the drug.
The Florida Department of Health will soon announce the nurseries across the state that are allowed to grow the drug. In central Florida, Grow Healthy in Lake Wales is in line to become the grower for the region.
That state had been expected to issue six licenses for nurseries across the state, but only three applied.
9 Investigates first exposed the delay in growing the strain as the state faced a lawsuit over its selection process for nurseries. Small nurseries said the process was designed to force out competition in favor of large corporate nurseries.
Grow Healthy is partnering with a larger nursery to meet the state qualifications.
It will take several months to grow the drug and prepare the cannabis oil, but experts say the oil should be ready by the end of the year.
Federal law prohibits transporting marijuana across state lines, so "Charlotte's Web" must be grown in Florida.
WFTV
