Florida’s Voter-Approved Medical Marijuana Program Begins Today

Voter-approved Amendment 2, to legalize medical marijuana, goes into effect today in Florida. The measure was supported by 71-percent of voters in November. In the Bay area, patients have 91 doctors to choose from to receive a recommendation for medical marijuana.

Florida is still ironing out some of the rules, especially where doctor recommendations are concerned, according to 10 News. Doctors are required to take an 8-hour course before they can recommend medical marijuana for patients.

Dr. Brett Levine is one of the physicians that took the 8-hour course. His wife, attorney Sunai Edwards, said, “I think it’s a lot easier for him [doctors] to make a decision on marijuana than for opioids. He gets a lot of people in a lot of pain. It’s a scary decision to make as a physician. With any highly regulated product, there are certain risks involved. There’s always a risk of medical malpractice or a lawsuit that could be brought, but in making the decision, he has to weigh all the medical benefits and any of the potential risks.”

Attorney Richard Blau explained what the process is to obtain a medical marijuana card and meds in Florida. He  said, “There has to be this existing physician-patient relationship for at least 90 days. No one wants to see dispensaries on every street corner dolling out marijuana to anyone who says they have a headache. The patient would have a certification, they go to a dispensary, they present the certification, and they receive medical marijuana.”

Blau also said, in regards to the current dispensary rules that need tweaking, that, “I think they’re going to work hard to try to provide clarity, so the state of Florida can move effectively but also responsibly in what is really a brave new world for the state.”

Projections indicate that Florida could have $1.5-billion in medical marijuana sales by 2020.