Innovative Fix News Today

A state program authorized in 2017 to provide a Black farmer with a medical marijuana license hasn’t lived up to its promise, lawyers, advocates and applicants said.

Weeks after state health officials selected a Suwannee County man to receive a long-awaited medical marijuana license earmarked for a Black farmer, applicants who lost out on joining Florida’s growing cannabis industry are challenging the decision.

The state Department of Health issued an “intent to approve” for Terry Donnell Gwinn, who vied with 11 others for the opportunity to join the growing medical marijuana industry.

A dozen companies and individuals have applied for a potentially lucrative medical-marijuana license that state lawmakers targeted to Black farmers.

The Florida Department of Health last year began moving forward with rules to award the license and scheduled an application period in March.