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FAMU Program Raises Awareness of Florida’s Marijuana Laws
MEDICAL MARIJUANA RESEARCH AND EDUCATION INITIATIVE SERVES KEY ROLE IN AMERICA’S FASTEST GROWING INDUSTRY BY [ Patricia GREEN POWELL, PH.D. ]
It seems like it’s been in the proverbial blink of an eye that marijuana has gone from being stigmatized as a dangerous gateway drug to being widely accepted as a recreational or medicinal substance. Voters in Red and Blue states reflect this change in attitude when presented with a ballot initiative to legalize cannabis for whatever the purpose. Today, recreational marijuana is fully legal in 16 states, while medical marijuana is lawful in 20. Florida joined the legalization movement in 2016 when voters overwhelmingly approved Amendment 2, allowing residents with a qualifying condition (e.g., cancer, HIV/AIDS, terminal disease, chronic pain) to be treated with medical marijuana. Tucked into Florida’s medical marijuana law (Section 381.986, Florida Statutes) is a provision entrusting Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) with the mission of “educating minorities about marijuana for medical use and the impact of the unlawful use of marijuana on minority communities.”
As the only state supported Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in Florida, FAMU is uniquely positioned to carry out this legislative mandate, and, in 2018, launched the Medical Marijuana Education and Research Initiative (MMERI).
The MMERI program seeks to educate people and inspire them to learn and talk frankly about medical marijuana and the potential consequences of the unlawful use of marijuana. To date, the MMERI team spreads the word across the state of Florida. In 2020, the program’s educational activities, communication campaigns, and community engagements reached an estimated 8.1 million people.
As the executive director of MMERI, I lead a small, but highly motivated staff, that has made significant inroads in making minority communities aware of what Florida’s medical marijuana law entails while addressing the potential impact (i.e., health and legal ramifications) of the unlawful use of marijuana. We have done this by offering a Basic Medical Marijuana Education Course, both in-person and online; conducting community forums across the state (pre-pandemic); distributing a monthly e-newsletter and informational handouts (translated in Haitian-Creole, Spanish and French); live streaming on social media Conversations on Cannabis, a virtual forum featuring experts in healthcare, law enforcement, and legal and mental health fields; broadcasting public service announcements on TV, radio and podcast platforms across Florida, and in newspapers; mailing postcards to Florida’s 30 rural communities; and reaching groups of minorities through a localized education initiative led by MMERI-trained advocates.
A key objective of the MMERI program is to clear up confusion over Florida’s view of medical marijuana as lawful, and the federal government’s treatment of it as a Schedule 1 drug. For example, a Florida medical-marijuana patient carrying or using the drug on federal property, such as in an airport, could be arrested. Tenants in federally subsidized Section 8 housing could be evicted — or worse — for possessing any type of marijuana.
Furthermore, legalization of medical marijuana doesn’t mean health insurers will cover the costs of being treated with cannabis. Neither does it prohibit public or private employers from firing employees for using medical marijuana even when prescribed by a physician.
Through education, community engagement, and communication — the three pillars of our program — MMERI has increased knowledge, changed attitudes, and transformed perceptions about medical marijuana. Only by remaining vigilant in our efforts can we ensure that the voices of Florida’s minority communities are heard when marijuana-related policies are made, and that these communities share in the health and economic benefits of medicinal marijuana.
Partnerships are vital to our ability to raise awareness. One of our partners, the National FAMU Alumni Association (NAA), is a big supporter of MMERI. I’ve been able to present to FAMU alumni chapter members across the country, thanks to Carolyn Collins, who chairs the Governmental Relations Committee of the NAA. These engagements allow me to educate alumni about the program, update them on our progress, and encourage them to get involved by signing up for our newsletter, joining a Conversations on Cannabis live-streamed event, or listening to our podcasts, among other things.
Whether you live in Florida, other parts of the country, or abroad, I encourage you to keep up with MMERI. Legalized marijuana is the fastest growing industry in the U.S. Considering the history of the drug’s impact on communities of color, we are serving an important role in this evolution. For more information about MMERI, go to http://mmeri.famu.edu/
Patricia Green-Powell, Ph.D., is the executive director of FAMU’s Medical Marijuana Education and Research Initiative. She has been a member of FAMU’s administration since 2003.
Here are three of the faces that are working to heighten awareness among minorities.
