On Friday, Knox Medical begins distributing low-THC and medical marijuana to patients with cancer, seizures and terminal illnesses.

  • Knox Medical begins distributing medical marijuana on Friday
  • Knox Medical is a longtime Winter Garden family farm
  • Amendment 2 expands medical marijuana in the state

On Wednesday, the Winter Garden company opened its doors to journalists, showing off their state-of-the-art lab, for the first time.

Knox Medical will deliver the cannabis directly to patients in need, in the form of drops or vaporizing cartridges.

In their new lab, plants are ground into a fine powder substance, then packed into a CO2 extraction system, where oil is extracted. That oil can be reintroduced into other strains or medications. Engineers then test the cannabis to make sure it meets state standards.

“To see everything come together, it took a lot of teamwork, everyone," said Alex Karol, lead chemical engineer at Knox Medical.

Karol, who studied biomedical engineering, started as a consultant at the company. He went on to design every facet of the lab.

“Science has always been a part of my life," he said, pointing out each machine in the sterile space and its use in the process. “Sometimes I have to pinch myself and I can’t believe I’m doing this, especially in Central Florida.”

There are thousands of strains of marijuana, but Knox is focused on nine, according to Karol.

“I have dedicated 100 percent of my time to this the last two years. This is all I do," said Jose Hidalgo, Knox's CEO. “My vision of this is that this is a whole new sector of the economy. And I think that’s why this is so exciting.”

His business partner, Bruce Knox, agrees. He called the facility the "culmination of a dream and vision," that they’ve had for the past two and half years.

In May 2014, Florida State legislature passed the Charlotte’s Web bill, and began looking for businesses to license to grow medical marijuana.

According to Knox, the state wanted Florida businesses in existence for 30 or more years and who grew more than 400,000 plants to be in charge of the budding process.

The Knox family farm has been in Winter Garden for decades and applied for a license in July 2015.

Months later, the state granted them -- and five other locations -- a coveted license to grow medical marijuana.

Knox Medical has been growing the high THC-strain for the past year, meant for people suffering from a condition considered to be terminal. They’re opening dispensaries first in downtown Orlando and Gainesville, then three other cities: Jacksonville, Lake Worth and Tallahassee.

“I think people have to get out of their mind that this is an illicit drug that we’re distributing. It is not," said Knox, who added his personal connection is two family members who suffer from epilepsy. "This is a medicine to help patients in need."

Karol, too, said the acceptance of medical marijuana into mainstream culture is important to him.

“This is very personal to me. My mother is somebody who is struggling with early onset Alzheimer's," said Karol. “I hope that we can cure as many people as possible. I really think this industry is going to revolutionize the health care industry.”

With the November election's passage of Amendment 2, conditions were expanded for who can receive medical marijuana. Knox said they may start distributing to those patients on January 3.

Owners would not release a price for their products, but said their cannabis costs an at-market price of 17 cents a milligram.