Florida Officials to Have Medical Marijuana Regulations Written by July

Floridians have had anything but an easy time accessing medical marijuana since Amendment 2 went into effect on January 3. Permanent regulations are to be written by July 3, and must be in effect no later than September 3, 2017. The Department of Health (DOH) is creating temporary regulations.

The Florida Legislature is responsible for drafting permanent rules, according to My Palm Beach Post. In the state’s recent tour to hold hearings regarding medical marijuana, nearly 1,300 people voiced their concerns regarding restricted access. The people aren’t happy that many still don’t have access.

One Tallahassee hearing attendee, Josephine Canella-Krehl, said, “You are the Office of Compassionate Use. We are the 71.3 percent. Hear. Us. Roar.”

Senate Bill 406 is hoping to make access easier for patients. It would allow for 5 more licenses for growth, processing and distribution within six months of the patient registry reaching 250,000. Florida has the potential to be a big medical marijuana market. Some find that the small number of growers and dispensaries available will further inhibit patient access.

Senate Bill 614 wants to stop the monopolized system. One dispensary would be permitted per 25,000 residents in a county. There would be no cap on the number of dispensaries allowed in the state other than the per capita requirement.

Amendment 2 says that doctors are permitted to prescribe medical marijuana when they deem it appropriate, yet the state still limits patients to having to have one of only 10 qualifying conditions.

With several bills in the works, advocates and patients throughout Florida hope that positive changes will make the state’s medical marijuana program better.