Florida Dispensary Starts Selling Marijuana Flower, Regardless of State Law

Trulieve, which operates multiple dispensaries in Florida, released its first whole-flower product and it’s causing a little controversy. The dispensary says that the whole flower is meant for use in a vaporizer, which doesn’t violate state law since vaping is permitted. Some say the potential for the product to be broken up for use in joints, bongs and pipes still exists.

Smoking marijuana is prohibited in Florida’s medical marijuana program, WLRN Miami reports. Trulieve informs patients when they purchase the whole-flower product that it’s only for use in a vaporizer. The Department of Health says the product was approved, but they’re watching it closely.

Dispensaries are held accountable for the product descriptions listed in their applications, Mara Gambinieri of the Department of Health commented.

All six Trulieve locations in Florida have vape products. Trulieve is the first to receive authorization to sell the whole-flower option. The Department of Health shared that 80-percent of medical marijuana sales in the state are vape products.

Supporters advocated for the whole-flower option to achieve the “entourage effect”. The “entourage effect” can only be achieved when all of the compounds in a strain are working together instead of separately.

The state hasn’t finalized its rules yet. They’re down to two months to finish creating the rules. The state hasn’t decided whether it might allow smokable medical marijuana or not. John Morgan, key advocator for Amendment 2, says he’ll sue the state if smokable marijuana isn’t allowed.

Morgan said, “For them not to allow smoking, that is the opposite of what the amendment says. The only place where it says it can’t be smoked is in public places.”

Senator Rob Bradley says the Legislature doesn’t want to allow smoking because it’s unhealthy.

A special session is still being considered to determine the rules for the state’s program.