TALLAHASSEE — As Florida health care marijuana corporations continue on to rake in hard cash, Gov. Ron DeSantis this 7 days mentioned hashish operators need to have to shell out extra for the possibility to do business enterprise in the state.

The state “should charge these persons additional,” DeSantis explained to reporters Tuesday.

“I indicate, these are incredibly precious licenses,” the governor explained. “I would charge them an arm and a leg. I imply, everyone wants these licenses.”

It was unclear if DeSantis was referring to clinical cannabis businesses now operating in the condition or organizations seeking to gain entry to Florida, which insiders say has the opportunity to be one particular of the nation’s most strong cannabis marketplaces.

Although DeSantis wants to extract extra revenue from the businesses, the governor helped steer large bucks their way as a person of his to start with legislative pushes following having place of work in January 2019.

DeSantis urged lawmakers to repeal a prohibition from smokable cannabis, which the Republican-managed Legislature had outlawed following voters in 2016 handed a constitutional modification broadly legalizing health care marijuana.

The Legislature promptly went alongside with DeSantis’ request, and whole flower goods are now by far the most well known things sold at the a lot more than 460 health-related marijuana dispensaries all through the state.

DeSantis’ comments this 7 days coincided with MedMen Enterprises Inc.’s announcement that it had shut a $67 million offer offering its Florida functions to Green Sentry Holdings LLC.

With almost 800,000 accepted healthcare marijuana individuals among a inhabitants of additional than 22 million Florida inhabitants, traders are anxiously awaiting the opportunity to plant stakes in the state.

The DeSantis administration, having said that, has dragged its toes on complying with a condition legislation necessitating the Office of Wellness to efficiently double the range of players in the market, which now has 22 accredited operators.

The governor’s office environment has blamed the hold off on litigation around a 2017 law, but a Florida Supreme Court docket conclusion upholding the statute was finalized very last calendar year.

The 2017 regulation established a framework for the clinical marijuana sector and set up a agenda for new licenses to come on-line as the…