Gov. Rick Scott signed several drug bills into law on Monday and said he will do the same for a measure that fights human trafficking.
One of the drug bills legalizes “Charlotte’s Web,” a non-euphoric strain of cannabis, as relief for patients who suffer from intractable seizures and other debilitating diseases, the Tampa Bay Times reports. He also signed a bill that protects the identities of patients who use the drug, and another that bans six new synthetic drugs.
Scott, who said he personally opposes legalizing marijuana, said he signed the cannabis bill because it may provide relief to desperately ill children. It is low in THC, the compound that produces the high usually associated with marijuana. Patients will not be allowed to smoke the drug, but instead may use it in oil and vapor form.
Scott also pledged to sign two other bills related to ending human trafficking, the Timesreports. One of the bills allocates an additional $1.5 million for safe houses for victims and calls for better treatment of exploited children. The second bill increases penalties for people who exploit children, prohibits minors from working in adult theaters, and allows offenses committed while being exploited to be expunged from victim’s records.
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi said that Florida ranks third in the nation in the number of calls made to a national trafficking hotline. The budget allocates $3 million for safe houses and services to victims and $6 million to help about 2,000 children already involved in court proceedings, according to the Times.