During the last decade we are witnessing an authentic cannabis revolution in the USA. Currently there are more than a dozen states where it can be consumed in a recreational way, and there are already more than half of the 50 that make up the country, in which medical cannabis can be prescribed with a medical prescription.
Florida was not one of the first to change its laws, but due to its population and culture related to this plant, we are sure that in a short time it will become a benchmark in the sector in America. In this article we are going to review what the newsays Florida cannabis law about it, to know for sure what can and cannot be done in what they call “the sun state”.
➕ Florida may dispense medical marijuana to its residents
In 2017, Governor Rick Scott signed into law Senate Bill 8A, which allows medical cannabis use to patients diagnosed with any of the conditions that marijuana has been shown to relieve or improve. In this state they are based on studies showing evidence scientific, and has a list of diseases that can be treated with therapeutic cannabis,are as follows:
- Cancer
- Epilepsy
- Glaucoma
- positive status for HIV
- Syndrome Acquired Immune Deficiency
- Disorder post-traumatic stress
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- Crohn’s
- disease Parkinson’s disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- A medical condition of the same type or class or comparable to the others listed
- A terminal condition diagnosed by a doctor
- Non-malignant chronic pain
📲 What are the requirements for being prescribed cannabis in Florida?
The first thing is to make an appointment with a qualified doctor, who will have to decide if marijuana can be a good treatment to treat the diagnosed disease. Once you have the approval of this expert, you have to register on an official list of the state and continue with the application process online or by mail.
The cost of the fee to register as a medical cannabis patient is $ 75 only, and the process does not usually take long from the beginning of the application until the medical card is granted, although it is true that in some cases it is taking longer than usual.
At the name of Consulting we process the information you give us in order to provide the requested service, perform the billing of the same. The data provided will be kept as long as the business relationship is maintained or for the years necessary to comply with legal obligations. The data will not be transferred to third parties except in cases where there is a legal obligation. You have the right to obtain confirmation as to whether SITE OF SHOPS ONLINE S.R.L. is processing your personal data and therefore you have the right to access your personal data, rectify inaccurate data or request its removal when the data is no longer necessary
🔥 What can and cannot be done as a marijuana patient in Florida?
- Patients who are enrolled in the state registry will be able to purchase up to 2.5 ounces of medical cannabis buds every 35 days.
- In no case can you have more than 4 ounces, so you can not stockpile marijuana at home.
- You can only buy this medicine in authorized dispensaries, those that have state permission to provide patients.
- You cannot grow home cannabis plants for self-sufficiency.
- Minor patients should receive pediatrician approval for possible smoked administration, and only in cases of terminal illness.
- Cannabis cannot be consumed in public places places or that are in general view, or means of transport, schools, etc.
- It can be consumed in any private place, as long as you have the authorization of the owner.
👾 Recreational cannabis is prohibited in the state of Florida
We must be very clear about this, although the consumption of marijuana with a medical prescription is allowed in Florida, the laws are very harsh when it comes to recreational or recreational cannabis, although we hope that it will happen as in other states in the USA, where they first legalized therapeutic use and later voted in favor of regularizing recreational marijuana in general.
Possession or sale of up to 20 grams is punishable by a $ 1,000 fine and up to 1 year in jail. From 20 grams up to 25 pounds, the penalty can be up to 5 years in jail and a $ 5,000 fine, and the possession or sale of 2,000 pounds or more carries a sentence of up to 30 years in prison and a penalty of $ 50,000, serving at least 7 years in any case.
When it comes to possession or sale of concentrates such as hashish, the maximum penalty is 5 years and penalties can reach $ 5,000. In Florida, all controlled substance convictions automatically leaddriver’s license suspension to afor one year.
Some exceptions
State laws contemplate sanctions such as those previously exposed, but there are certain jurisdictions within the state of Florida that are taking other measures in cases of possession of small amounts of cannabis:
- Miami-Dade County
- Miami Beach
- Hallandale Beach
- Key West
- West Palm Beach
- Broward
- County Palm Beach
- County Volusia County
- Tampa
- Orlando
- Osceola
- County Alachua County
- Port Ritchie
- City of Sarasota
In these jurisdictions, starting in 2015,began to be minor offenses for possession of low amounts of cannabis decriminalized, for cases of self-consumption. In some cases, it is the criteria of the police that determines whether it is a crime or whether it is all a simple administrative sanction. Normally, if the amount is less than 20 grams, it is usually paid a fine of 100 dollars and the problem is over.
🧐 Marijuana rich in CBD, as well as all products that contain less than 0.3% THC are totally legal
Since the was passed 2018 agricultural law in the United States, which removes hemp from list 1 of controlled substances Most of the states in the country modified their law to establish a state program and define the parameters well.
Florida did it in 2019, and from that moment on, all cannabis products or products derived from this plant that contain less than 0.3% THC can be purchased without the need for a prescription, because they are not considered psychoactive.
💻 A path to full legalization of cannabis that is not easy
Although it seems that Florida’s journey to legalization of marijuana is a bed of roses, it is not being easy to walk. The ones that seemed like the last stages of this route were all positive as you can see in this article, but a few months ago the recreational marijuana users of this state received a setback that was not expected.
In January 2020, Senator Jeff Brandes introduced the bill SB 182, which promoted legalizing the use of cannabis for those over 21 years of age as has already been done in other states of the USA. Unfortunately, this ambitious project did not win a majority in the state senate in March of that same year. If it had succeeded, in the last presidential elections held recently in the United States, Floridians would have been able to vote, and we are sure it would have been approved.
✅Conclusion
The law in the state of Florida regarding cannabis is changing, and what seemed impossible just a decade ago, is now seen on a not too distant horizon. This state can become a global marijuana power in no time, and at Pevgrow we will be on the lookout to tell you all about it, so keep an eye on us.
Related Posts
