Cannabis 101 at the Florida State Capitol was a day of satisfying activism and influence. This was the fifth. Each year the number of attendees has about doubled. We were able to go farther faster because of the financial support and membership participation of 31 organizations. The challenges of managing the attendees and the meeting schedules were handled with the amazing skills of the FLCAN leadership team and our Capitol guides. The smell of freshly baked cookies wafted through the halls enticing people to follow their noses to the Rotunda. Here they encountered banners asking, “Why is cannabis still illegal?”, hemp and hemp information, medical marijuana and medical marijuana information, art, enthusiasts, activists, legislators, staff, and a well run lobby day.

This year, we are watching 32 Cannabis related bills in 11 unique categories. The “Smoking” bills addressing the right of patients to use the whole plant will be on the Governor’s desk by his March 15 deadline…if all goes well. The legislators are talking like they are going to pass some of these bills, or at least get some heard in committees. It is going to be a busy and interesting legislative session.

It is such a welcome lift under our wings to have so many people helping make the end of cannabis prohibition a reality. Patients should get the medicine they want and the rest of us should be able to enjoy and use the plant with them.