Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Mike Pressure got here underneath hearth Thursday from state lawmakers who complained his regulatory company was shifting too slowly in increasing the medical marijuana merchandise obtainable to sufferers.
The Information-Star experiences that Pressure, a Republican, advised a particular legislative fee trying on the state’s medicinal pot program that he received’t compromise public security to fast-track new merchandise.
Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards and the majority-GOP Legislature have accepted new legal guidelines increasing the medical marijuana merchandise obtainable and the flexibility for docs to advocate the drug for any sickness. However Pressure’s company controls the tempo of that rollout with product testing and laws.
“After I have a look at the forwards and backwards, it seems to be like micromanagement,” Republican Rep. Debbie Villio of Kenner advised Pressure. She added: “I see it as a forwards and backwards that drastically delays getting a product from grower to pharmacy to affected person.”
GOP Rep. Thomas Pressly of Shreveport echoed comparable worries: “My concern is that we’re going to sluggish this down even additional.”
Pressure stated he’s centered on well being and security as his division works via the method of enacting the laws for brand new legal guidelines and approving merchandise comparable to edible gummies.
“Every part we do is to guard the general public,” Pressure stated. “We’ve got to get it proper.”
Tabitha Irvin, director of the agriculture division’s medical marijuana program, disputed that the division is dragging its toes.
“We’re not holding up any merchandise for them to promote,” she stated.
However the newspaper experiences that lawmakers urged Pressure was overregulating the medical marijuana market.
“We’re going to resolve this,” stated Republican Rep. Scott McKnight of Baton Rouge. “Nobody is Louisiana as finest practices.”
Louisiana State College and Southern College and their non-public rising companions are the one entities that may legally domesticate and course of marijuana and supply it to the state’s 9 licensed therapeutic hashish pharmacies.
The most recent enlargement by the Legislature and governor will enable medical marijuana to be offered in its uncooked, smokable kind starting in January.
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