After nearly three years as Florida’s top marijuana regulator, Christopher Kimball has stepped down and taken a position as deputy general counsel in Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office.
Kimball’s LinkedIn profile says he left the Office of Medical Marijuana Use at the Florida Department of Health in July. Bobbie Smith posted to her LinkedIn profile announcing she was the new director. Before joining the OMMU, Smith worked at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for more than 17 years, focusing her efforts on legislative affairs.
Florida’s medical marijuana industry is tightly regulated, and only those with a license can cultivate, process, and sell medical marijuana. The latest data show that, as of Aug. 1, 920,582 patients had qualified and registered for medical marijuana treatment.
There were 2,381 physicians qualified to recommend medical marijuana to patients.
Kimball’s departure comes as the state prepares to defend its November 2024 decision to award 22 new medical marijuana licenses. More than 20 separate challenges to the awards have been filed in the state Division of Administrative Hearings by vendors denied licenses.
The challenges have been consolidated, and a three-month hearing on the dispute is scheduled to begin in October.
Fort Lauderdale attorney Paula Savchenko told the Florida Phoenix Wednesday that it could take another year before any new licenses are awarded due to the complexity of the challenges and the large number of parties involved.
Florida announced the 22 new licenses just weeks after a proposed constitutional amendment to legalize recreational marijuana failed to amass 60% voter approval. DeSantis campaigned aggressively against the amendment.
It was later revealed that the Hope Florida Foundation, a nonprofit tied to an initiative launched by First Lady Casey DeSantis, steered money to two groups that sent a combined $8.5 million to Keep Florida Clean, a political action committee created to oppose Amendment 3.
The Governor’s then-chief of staff and now sitting Attorney General, James Uthmeier, chaired that committee.
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Christine Sexton reports via Florida Phoenix, part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: [email protected].
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