DeSantis Passes New Cannabis Law For Florida
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill Monday, Mar. 18 that now makes smokable medical marijuana legal in the Sunshine State. The bill (SB 182) has been a priority for the Republican governor since taking office in January, and is the first legislative victory of his short tenure.
The new law takes effect immediately, however, qualified patients will still need to wait before they are prescribed a smokable form of pot. It will take time for the Department of Health, the agency that oversees the state’s medical marijuana program, to approve new rules to guide doctors.
Even though more than 70 percent of voters approved a ballot measure in 2016 legalizing marijuana for medical use, the state issued a ban on smoking medical marijuana that was enacted in 2017 and signed by then-Gov. Rick Scott. This new bill repeals that ban, which was passed by Florida state legislature Wednesday before being sent to DeSantis.
“Over 70 percent of Florida voters approved medical marijuana in 2016,” DeSantis tweeted Monday. “I thank my colleagues in the Legislature for working with me to ensure the will of the voters is upheld.”
Qualified patients can receive up to a 210-day supply at a time — the equivalent of six 35-day doses of a maximum 2.5 ounces. For patients under 18, parts of the law require a second opinion from a pediatrician and for the patient to be diagnosed with a terminal illness before accessing smokable marijuana. The new bill also sets aside $1.5 million per year for the State University System Board of Governors to give out to schools to conduct research.
By: Maytinee Kramer
