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Courts Prescribe Sunshine For Medical Marijuana

The First District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee ruled that the names of investors and partners in medical marijuana license applications should be open records.
High Times
/
The Florida Channel
Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.

A state appeals court has decided Florida’s fledgling marijuana industry needs a little more sunshine.

The First District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee ruled that the names of investors and partners in medical marijuana license applications should be open records.
Credit High Times
/
The Florida Channel
The First District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee ruled that the names of investors and partners in medical marijuana license applications should be open records.

The First District Court of Appeal ruled that the names of investors and partners in medical marijuana businesses fall under Florida’s government in the sunshine law.

The ruling centers on applications three companies filed with the Department of Health for licenses to sell non-euphoric medical marijuana.

The businesses argued the information should not be released as part of a public records request because the names are a trade secret. The three-judge panel ordered a lower court to decide whether the names of consultants should be public as well.

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Jim Ash is a reporter at WFSU-FM. A Miami native, he is an award-winning journalist with more than 20 years of experience, most of it in print. He has been a member of the Florida Capital Press Corps since 1992.