A nationwide company with a nursery in Fort Myers is looking to partner with other growers to begin planting a special strain of marijuana recently legalized by the Florida Legislature.
A bill recently passed by state lawmakers legalized a strain of marijuana called “Charlotte’s Web.” This particular strain has been found to help children with seizures and doesn’t get users high. But, the law also set strict ground rules for who can grow it.
According to the law, only large-scale nurseries that have operated in the Sunshine State for more than 30 years can take part in this new industry. However, a company that owns a nursery in Fort Myers called Sunshine Growers is hoping to get around that by partnering with an older nursery.
Evan Nison, director of the East Coast Cannibus Division at Terra Tech, which owns Sunshine Growers, as well as other nurseries around the country, said because marijuana has been illegal in Florida, qualified nurseries likely wouldn’t have the expertise to grow Charlotte’s Web.
“That’s where we feel we would be a good partner,” he said. “We can provide capital. We can provide cannabis experience, cannabis cultivation experience and we are also used to agriculture and agriculture in Florida.”
Nison said Terra Tech is already discussing possible partnerships with some of the 21 nurseries in Florida that are eligible to grow Charlotte’s Web.
Nison said even though right now the state’s marijuana industry is going to be very small and tailored toward this one strain, he said he hopes this November’s ballot measure legalizing all medical marijuana passes. Nison said that would increase the size and scope of the industry.
