Kerry Barasatie said his office sees patients with cancer, multiple sclerosis or epilepsy among other conditions, and helps them get medical marijuana.
- Kissimmee leaders voted to ban medical marijuana dispensaries
- Say law didn't give local govts. ability to regulate
“We’re here to help. There’s about 1 in 12 different ailments or conditions you can approve for marijuana,” he said.
Barasatie is the president of Green Relief, a recommendation office with examination rooms and a doctor on staff. While they don’t dispense any marijuana, they work with Knox Medical in Orlando who does.
Their focus is to help patients obtain a medical cannabis card.
“I don’t understand, why not help people? If it’s a drug why is it medical? Show me when someone died,” he explained.
Tuesday night, Kissimmee commissioners voted 4 to 1 to ban marijuana dispensaries from opening in town.
Commissioner Olga Gonzalez voted in favor of the ban. She said she did that, because the way the law is written it doesn’t give local government wiggle room to regulate.
But Barasatie disagrees. “The city of Kissimmee made it more difficult for no reason.”
Without a dispensary in Kissimmee, Barasatie said there are other options, like having medical marijuana delivered to your doorstep, or going to Orlando.
“So you banned people here from getting help, to have them get things delivered online, or have them go to Orlando,” Barasatie added. “If we’re here in Kissimmee, we believe in our people here. I live in Kissimmee, so I want stuff happening in my community.”
Gonzalez said the commission is not completely opposed to the idea of dispensaries. They just want to be able to regulate where and how many the city can have.