Florida Senate Republicans signaled Wednesday that legislation to implement the state's voter-approved medical marijuana amendment could be too restrictive, setting the stage for compromises aimed at expanding cultivation and distribution.

  • Florida Senate Republicans debate implementation of Amendment 2
  • Bill would limit number of licensed nurseries in the state to 20
  • Conservatives, patient advocates both take issue with number
  • RELATED: Making Sense of Amendment 2

During a hearing of the Senate Health Policy Committee, the sponsor of the measure, Sen. Rob Bradley (R-Fleming Island), noted the legislature's handling of the issue could play into legal challenges some medical marijuana supporters view as inevitable.

"We have an absolute obligation to faithfully implement Amendment 2," Bradley told the panel. "It's important that we don't play any games, that we don't get cute in doing it."

Bradley's bill would limit the number of licensed medical marijuana nurseries in the state to 20, a number that has roiled conservatives, who argue it's too high, and frustrated patient advocates, who complain it's too low. Wednesday's discussion appeared to give the advocates the upper hand, with the committee's chairwoman alluding to the legal ramifications.

"The more restrictive we are, the more likely we would have litigation on this," Sen. Dana Young (R-Tampa) said.

But Republicans also took issue with making medical marijuana available to a broad cross-section of patients and cautioned against allowing the drug to be consumed in anything but smokeless form.

"Our society protects our sick and vulnerable populations by making sure that the serious medication that they take is safe and properly labeled, and we go to great lengths as a society to ensure that those serious prescriptions don't get into the hands of those who aren't sick but seek to abuse or sell it on the black market," Bradley said.

As lawmakers work to produce regulations by the close of the regular legislative session in May, the chorus of medical marijuana lobbyists working the issue remain generally upbeat, for the moment shunning open talk of challenging the rules in court.

"People come to Tallahassee to express their opinions, and I think that hopefully (legislators) will be listening to those opinions, because if you saw how packed this room was today, I think that speaks volumes for what the citizens of Florida want," lobbyist Ron Watson said.