“Is Cannabis Legal In Florida?” is a question that everyone who smokes cannabis will ask when they go to Florida. As of the most current update in 2023, Florida still does not allow people to use cannabis for recreational purposes. However, it is legalized for medical use and can only be bought by people who qualified. However, it is important to note that growing marijuana inside the state is still banned, even for medical purposes.
A law called Florida Medical Marijuana Legalization Initiative, also known as Amendment 2, was passed by voters on November 8, 2016, making medical marijuana legal in the Sunshine State. This change made it possible for people with certain conditions to use THC goods for medical purposes.
Explore the Contents
- 1 Medical Cannabis Possession Laws in Florida
- 2 How to get a medical card in Florida?
- 3 How to Get a New Cannabis Card
- 4 The Florida legislature passes HB 387, which makes telehealth services available for medical marijuana recertification.
- 5 Beginning: The Approval of HB 387
- 6 Keeping the requirements for initial certification
- 7 The use of telehealth for renewal consultations is a big change.
- 8 The Definition and Role of Telehealth in HB 387
- 9 Updates on Progress for Recreational Cannabis Legal In Florida
Medical Cannabis Possession Laws in Florida
Section 381 Section 986 of the 2022 Florida Statutes says that people who want to legally possess up to four grams of medical cannabis must have a doctor’s approval, pay a license fee, and re-register with the state every seven months.
In Florida, cannabis flowers have only been legal since 2019. Before that, the 2016 amendment said that the only legal ways to use cannabis were through smoking, oils, sprays, or pills. In 2018, a circuit court judge ruled that this difference was unconstitutional. As a result, medical marijuana users could smoke certain types of cannabis flower in March 2019.
In Florida, weed that can be eaten was also legalized starting in September 2020.
New dosing and purchase limits for medical weed in Florida in 2023
In Florida, you can only get medical marijuana from dispensaries that are approved by the state. The Department of Health set up the Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU) to look after the medical marijuana program.
New “emergency” rules for medical marijuana were put in place all of a sudden in August 2022, without any feedback from the public, patients, or doctors since 2019. A constitutional change and voter approval of medical marijuana in Florida happened almost six years ago. Recently, the state legislature put limits on the amount of THC that can be in marijuana and the amount that can be used.
From the Florida Department of Health’s Office of Medical Marijuana: Here are the new rules on how much and how often you can use marijuana.
The Sunshine State’s lawmakers made the “emergency” distinction, but it’s not clear why they thought it was necessary. Either way, patients and patients’ rights groups are not happy.
Most people agree that these random rule changes have led to effects like sometimes not being able to get legally prescribed medicine, patients moving to the black/gray market, and general confusion among patients and doctors in Florida in 2023.
If a proposed marijuana legalization ballot proposal comes up for vote in 2024, as it seems likely to do, there will likely be a large majority of votes in favor of it.
How to get a medical card in Florida?
Here are the easy steps you need to take to get a medical marijuana card in Florida.
- People who live in the state full- or part-time and are at least 18 years old must meet any of these requirements in order to be able to use medical marijuana. Kids under 18 can use medical cannabis as long as their parents or legal guardians are in charge of them. In Florida, minors also need recommendations from two doctors who are allowed to do so.
- Then, adults who are eligible must see a doctor or physician to prove that they have one of the conditions listed.
- Next, patients who meet the requirements are added to a Medical Marijuana Use Registry and given login information. This lets them send in the $75 application that is needed.
- People who apply for medical marijuana in Florida and are approved get their card in the mail.
- Every seven months, the doctor’s approval must be renewed in order to keep the card valid.
On average, this process can be pretty pricey for many patients, since they have to pay for a doctor’s visit, a license, and monthly certificates to stay as patients.
How to Get a New Cannabis Card
At the moment, people in Florida have to see their doctor in person every 30 weeks for another review. But that’s going to change soon because of new rules.
The Florida legislature passes HB 387, which makes telehealth services available for medical marijuana recertification.
Beginning: The Approval of HB 387
House Bill 387 (HB 387), which was passed by the Florida Legislature on May 4, 2023, was a big step forward in the field of telehealth. As soon as Florida Governor Ron Desantis signs this progressive bill, it will go into effect on July 1, 2023. It expands the use of telehealth for medical marijuana renewal.
Keeping the requirements for initial certification
Even though HB 387 made some progress, the basic standards for the first certification have not changed. It is still required that doctors physically examine a patient in person before they can give them their first medical marijuana card. In other words, telemedicine tests are not enough for this first certification.
The use of telehealth for renewal consultations is a big change.
The most important part of the new law, though, is the part about renewal talks. After the first in-person test, the law clearly lets doctors use telehealth technologies to do recertification consultations with patients while they are away.
The Definition and Role of Telehealth in HB 387
The Florida Statutes section 456.47 says that telehealth includes both synchronous and asynchronous telephony technology. This is what HB 387 means. This lets patients and doctors talk to each other in real time as well as record or send data, which increases the number of ways that patients and doctors can talk to each other during the renewal process.
Recertification Frequency Remains Unchanged
The new rule doesn’t change how often recertification exams are needed; they still need to be done at least every 30 weeks (210 days). On the other hand, adding telehealth to this process makes it much easier and more accessible for Florida patients to renew their medical marijuana approval.
While keeping the standard requirements for initial certification, HB 387 offers a new way for medical marijuana users to get renewal consultations that takes advantage of the flexible features of telehealth technology. This move forward shows that Florida is serious about using digital health tools to make healthcare easier for patients to get and more efficient.
Read More: Is CBD Legal in Food
Updates on Progress for Recreational Cannabis Legal In Florida
In 2023, Florida is moving closer to legalizing marijuana for recreational use. The “Smart & Safe Florida” committee has met the first formal requirements to put forward a constitutional amendment to make marijuana use legal. Also, the group has a lot more signatures than the 891,523 that were needed to get the change before the Florida State Supreme Court.
When is recreational weed legal in Florida?
when the strategy can get past the state Attorney General’s objections, it will be up to the state Supreme Court to confirm the language in the amendment. Once the plan has been checked out, it will be approved if at least 14 of the state’s 28 voting districts agree to put it on the ballot for the 2024 election. The goal is to make marijuana use legal for recreational purposes in Florida.
That person must be at least 21 years old to legally own, buy, and use marijuana for recreational reasons in Florida if the amendment passes. But it’s important to remember that breaking federal law would still be a crime.
Earlier efforts to make marijuana use for recreational purposes legal in Florida failed. However, the most recent amendment, which was submitted in August 2022, may have a better chance, especially if a famous person backs it.
