VidaCann is a company with a mission: They want to see every patient who uses medical marijuana obtain the highest quality organic product available, including oils, tinctures, capsules, vapes and topical creams.
“We really strive for purity and consistency in our products,” said Peyton Moseley, vice president of product development. “We want to have only the highest-quality to offer our customers.”
Moseley and his wife Holley had a very personal reason to bring medical marijuana to Florida. And that led to VidaCann, which began with a genuine goal to help their daughter RayAnn, who suffers from severe epilepsy, as well as provide medical marijuana to others who need it.
Both medical professionals, The Moseleys first heard about a new marijuana strain that helped epileptics called “Charlotte’s Web®” from Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s 2012 CNN show about medical marijuana.
“He talked about its remarkable effect on a child in Colorado who suffered from a seizure disorder like RayAnn,” said Moseley. “The strain was developed by the Stanley Brothers to help a child named Charlotte, who suffered with severe seizures."
It was low in THC, but high in beneficial cannabinols, so they immediately thought it could help RayAnn.
“We were so excited.” said Moseley. “We went to Colorado, met with the Stanleys and other users of Charlotte’s Web® and knew right away that’s what we needed for RayAnn.”
That’s when they began their hard-fought battle to legalize medical cannabis in Florida. And they founded VidaCann, a Florida-owned company dedicated to providing the best in cannabis products to those in need.
Moseley ensures all of VidaCann’s speciality cannabis products are certified for content consistency in their lab, which is inspected and certified by the Florida Department of Health, as are the dispensaries.
“We have a chemist and microbiologist make sure they are completely organic, which means not only are they pesticide-free, they also contain no toxins such as mold or heavy metals,” he said.” Then they go out for an independent third-party analysis.”
The Jacksonville-based company also has a proprietary organic growing process to guarantee patients the best and safest active cannabis products on the market. The company, officially named VidaCann Medical Marijuana Treatment Center, is fully licensed and offers one-stop shopping for cannabis products, from hemp-based CBD oil to more potent cannabis sativa merchandise with a high THC content.
So how does someone go about getting medical cannabis?
“If someone wants CBD oil, it’s made from hemp and legal under the Farm Bill,” Moseley explained. “It doesn’t require a prescription…that’s sold in the front of the shop and you can walk in off the street and buy it.
“But if you want a stronger application created from a cannabis sativa strain containing a higher ratio of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the active ingredient that gets you high) you need a prescription, and it’s sold in a separate room,” he said.
According to Florida law, only doctors who take a course can recommend psychoactive cannabis because it’s still federally illegal. The patient’s name is on a registry accessible to the dispensaries. Certified physicians are listed online.
VidaCann also partners with Realm of Caring, a Colorado 501c3 non profit that provides patient support by phone. They offer information on using medical marijuana and advice on the proper dose so there’s little waste of the costly medications. They also provide grants funded through private donations to patients with financial difficulties.
“We just retail, so patients can call The Realm of Caring and discuss concerns with a medical professional,” said Moseley. “They stay on top of the latest cannabis therapies, and offer classes for patients and healthcare providers.”
The Moseleys played a major role in legalizing high CBD, low THC cannabis in Florida through Senate Bill 1030. Working with Representative Matt Gaetz and Senator Rob Bradley, they shared their story with legislators, and testified before many House and Senate committees.
In 2014, a bill allowing low THC cannabis was a beginning, and in 2015 the legislature allowed terminally ill patients access to higher THC content cannabis. Finally, in 2016 Amendment 2 was approved by 71.3 percent of Florida voters, legalizing medical marijuana. And with the election of Ron DeSantis as governor, the path to full legalization of all forms of medical cannabis is sure to follow.
“DeSantis is talking about making edibles available, as well as 'flower' for smoking,” said Moseley. “We’re moving forward.”
And RayAnn? She’s living proof medical marijuana can work. She’s been seizure-free for over two years since beginning her treatments with CBD. She’s thriving and the Moseleys are thrilled.
“She’s even participating in the Special Olympics at Gulf Breeze Middle School,” said Moseley.
VidaCann is about to open its new dispensary on Gandy Boulevard in north St. Petersburg, its third in the Tampa Bay area. And they have free delivery, right to your door plus online shopping, so those seeking VidaCann products never need to leave home.
“We have 14 leases and we are expanding to cover the state from Miami to Pensacola. …It’s our goal to reach every patient across Florida to help them get the medicine they desperately need,” said Moseley.
VidaCann also brings two new products to the Florida market.
“We’ve partnered with the Stanleys for exclusive rights to Charlotte’s Web® products in Florida,” said Moseley. “We also have exclusive distribution rights for Tikun Olam, a very pure and highly respected line of cannabis products developed in Israel.”
The new VidaCann dispensary, expected to open in mid-February, is located at 10688 Gandy Blvd. N., in St. Petersburg, near the dog track, so it’s also accessible to Tampa residents.
You can find out more about VidaCann and its products at vidacann.com.
This article appears in Jan 24-31, 2019.