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Annually, the Florida Legislature proposes new measures aimed toward enhancing the protection and well-being of Floridians. We’re lucky to dwell in a state the place our elected officers are proactive in prioritizing the well being of our households, family members and neighbors — however generally good intentions can miss the mark.
As a board-certified emergency medication specialist with over 20 years of expertise, I’ve considerations concerning Senate Bill 1698, Hemp and Meals Merchandise. Whereas I assist the invoice’s intent to guard kids from inadvertently consuming hemp merchandise, I imagine the proposed restrictions on grownup entry to hemp-derived cannabinoids are pointless and will have unintended well being penalties.
All through my profession, together with my tenure on the board of the American Medical Marijuana Physicians Affiliation and as medical director for a Florida medical marijuana therapy heart, I’ve gained intensive perception into the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids. It’s well-established in scientific literature that hemp-derived cannabinoids are protected for grownup use in doses as much as 1500 mg per day. For circumstances like Crohn’s illness, efficient administration can typically require a considerable every day mixture of cannabinoids. Overly restrictive laws on these compounds might lead to extended affected person struggling and doubtlessly result in people looking for unsafe and unregulated options.
In my years working towards emergency medication, I’ve handled kids who’ve ingested or been uncovered to hashish merchandise. Whereas such cases are certainly regarding, it is very important word that the everyday therapy for these kids within the ER is simple — hydration and relaxation. This strategy is usually adequate to handle the state of affairs successfully, indicating that whereas it’s essential to forestall unintended ingestion, the response to such incidents is well-established and never sometimes extreme.
The present legislative framework, established by the Florida Legislature final 12 months, successfully addresses the chance of kids mistaking hemp merchandise for sweet or snacks. Additional restrictions proposed in SB 1698 might impede entry to therapeutic merchandise by adults, lots of whom depend on them for important well being advantages.
The drug overdose disaster is a big concern, and as a doctor on the entrance traces, I perceive the significance of protected and controlled entry to efficient medical remedies. Nonetheless, limiting entry to safer options like hemp-derived cannabinoids might inadvertently exacerbate this disaster.
A simpler and balanced strategy can be to focus SB 1698 on enhancing the kid security measures handed final 12 months and supporting public schooling about accountable storage and use of hemp merchandise in properties with kids. The present language of SB 1698 and its companion, HB 1613, would hinder entry to hemp merchandise that many Floridians depend on to enhance their high quality of life. It’s essential to make sure that adults, particularly these looking for medical advantages from these merchandise, retain entry to them.
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Dr. Richard Tempel is an emergency care doctor in Maitland, with greater than 20 years of expertise.
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