holly bellthe head of the agency responsible for overseeing cannabis in the Sunshine State, is leaving the public sector for medical cannabis company Flora Growth.

Agriculture Commissioner Fried Nikki presented Bell as Cannabis Director of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) in February 2019, a month after Fried took office after winning his election on a platform including industry growth cannabis and hemp in Florida. Now Bell has left for Flora Growth to serve as vice president of regulatory.

Bell, who quit FDACS on Friday, announced his departure in a Facebook post on Sunday, calling the early decision “an incredible chapter” in his life.

“Leaving FDACS and the coolest title ever – Director of Cannabis – is challenging but rewarding,” she wrote. “I did what I was asked to do. We have created a whole new industry in (Florida)! Thank you Commissioner Nikki Fried. I am grateful for the opportunity. I worked with a great band and industry. Thank you!”

“I challenge others right now to step up and get involved by doing your civic duty!” she continued. “I did my own and learned a lot.”

As Director of Cannabis, Bell was responsible for initiating, implementing and overseeing Florida’s hemp program created under Gov. Ron DeSantis sign in 2019 to create the state hemp program (SB 1020). Additionally, she assisted the Florida Department of Health with the edibles portion of the Medical Cannabis Program.

Prior to entering her role at FDACS, Bell was a consultant to the cannabis and hemp, entertainment, and finance industries. Her site also said that she “created a turnkey package for banking the cannabis and hemp industries for financial institutions.”

Additionally, she worked at Nashville-Access, a media company she co-founded that produces syndicated country music radio shows and podcasts.

The Department of Health, under DeSantis, largely occupies the field of medical marijuana, but Department of Agriculture food experts are supposed to oversee the “processing requirements” of marijuana for medical purposes. edible consumption.

It was his experience trying to marry banking and the marijuana industry that caught the attention of Fried, a former lobbyist for the medical marijuana industry.

Medical marijuana vendors across the country have been upset about how to manage their money because, as the New York Times Explain“selling marijuana violates federal law (and) handling the proceeds of any marijuana transaction is considered money laundering.”

Bell has also served as director of business development for Denver-based company Safe Harbor Services, where she educated the “board of directors and employees on the true history of the cannabis industry,” and served as a “management consultant for practice” for ProEquities Broker Dealer in Birmingham. , Alabama.

Flora Growth is the parent company of several cannabis brands and operates one of the most extensive outdoor cannabis cultivation facilities. It manufactures products from several cannabis derivatives, including cosmetics, hemp textiles, food and beverages.

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