Are you currently a resident of Florida looking to start your medical marijuana journey? Then, you probably have a bunch of questions going through your mind on how to get your Florida medical marijuana card. Not to mention what types of marijuana products you can purchase, where you can buy them, or even how much marijuana you can possess if you can grow your weed. Don’t worry: we know how curious you are. That’s why Elevate Holistics is here with all the answers to your questions. So, grab a seat, and let’s get down to business!
MMJ in Florida
On June 16, 2014, Governor Rick Scott signed the Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act, making Florida the 22nd state to legalize the use of medical marijuana. According to this Act, qualified patients suffering from certain conditions such as epilepsy, cancer, muscle spasms, and chronic seizures can use cannabis products prescribed by a licensed doctor. The Florida Department of Health also established the Office of Compassionate Use (OCU) to manage the medical marijuana program of Florida.
Later in March 2016, State Bill 307 made extensive provisions on the patients who could access medical marijuana in Florida. It provided that patients who had “a terminal condition, which, without the administration of life-sustaining procedures, will result in death within one year if the condition runs its normal course” were eligible.
The state placed the Florida Medical Marijuana Legalization Initiative (Amendment 2) on the ballot in 2016. And, with support from 71% of voters, approved the amendment on November 8, 2016. The Amendment gave room for the broader legalization of medical marijuana in the state and expanded the qualifying conditions. The Amendment also changed the OCU to the Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU), the organization now in charge of regulating Florida’s medical cannabis program.
In March 2019, SB 182 was passed into law, and this legislation expanded medical marijuana usage flexibility in Florida. It allows physicians to recommend smoking as an alternative form of administration for you as a patient if need be. Prior to 2019, the state prohibited this recommendation entirely.
The Unique Florida MMJ Terminology
The Sunshine State utilizes some unique terminology to discuss its cannabis products and regulations. For example, the state allows both medical marijuana and low-THC cannabis. This is referred to flowers of which contain 0.8 percent or less of tetrahydrocannabinol and more than 10 percent of cannabidiol weight for weight.
Florida Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers (MMTCs), commonly called dispensaries, are the only places where you can legally purchase medical marijuana. So, it means if you buy from somewhere other than these dispensaries, it isn’t medical marijuana, even if it is for medical use.
As outlined in Amendment 2, conditions that qualify you for low-THC cannabis products in the state include:
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ALS
- Cancer
- Chronic nonmalignant pain caused by a qualifying medical condition or that originates from a qualifying medical condition and persists beyond the usual course of that qualifying medical condition
- Crohn’s Disease
- Epilepsy
- Glaucoma
- HIV/AIDS
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Parkinson’s Disease
- PTSD
Also, Senate Bill 8A allows the use of medical marijuana to treat any other “diagnosable, debilitating conditions of like, kind or class.”
What’s Allowed With A Florida Medical Marijuana Card?
So, if you have a Florida medical marijuana card, what are you allowed to do? Possession amounts, at-home cultivation, and permitted MMJ products all vary from state to state. This can make it confusing t try to keep up with all of the different cannabis state laws. But, that’s why we’re breaking down what’s allowed in the Sunshine State — and what’s not. Let’s get into the nitty-gritty details.
Quickly, it is important to note that recreational marijuana is still illegal in Florida. Those without an MMJ card cannot purchase and enjoy cannabis the way that you may as a cardholder. Your Florida medical marijuana card gives you complete legal protection and prevents the state from charging you with possession offenses, attracting strict penalties. (Not to mention, your MMJ card may provide you with access to a higher potency limit if your condition requires it.)
How Much Can You Possess?
Again, recreational use of Marijuana is still illegal in Florida, and strict punishment applies to residents who possess marijuana without a medical card. However, for Florida MMJ, the laws allow qualified patients to possess up to three 70-day supply limits — four ounces — at one time.
If you require more, SB 182 permits qualified patients to possess up to four ounces of herbal cannabis. Florida only allows this if a recommending physician believes that the benefits of smoking marijuana for medical use outweigh the risks.
As a patient, you must keep whatever marijuana product you purchase in the original packages for verification. The medical marijuana program states that patients can only purchase 2.5 ounces every 35 days to ensure they stay within the four-ounce limit.
Is At-Home Cultivation Allowed with a Florida Medical Marijuana Card?
Currently, Florida does not allow patients to grow cannabis at home. It does not matter whether or not you have a medical card. Marijuana cultivation remains a regulated activity reserved for a few commercial growers in the state. In addition, importing medical marijuana into the state is illegal.
However, there are currently efforts to get a measure on the ballot for November 2022 which aims to legalize growing marijuana plants by medical patients. This bill seeks to redefine medical use in the 2016 amendment to include growing up to nine marijuana plants by patients and caregivers. We shall wait and see!
What Types of Cannabis Products Can a Medical Patient Purchase?
There are different methods of cannabis delivery available for medical consumers in the state, including flower, concentrates in diverse forms, such as oil, vapes, topicals, and capsules. The emergency rules that went into effect on August 27, 2020, now allow edibles in various forms such as baked goods, tablets, and gelatin. So, if you have a Florida medical marijuana card, you have access to practically all the cannabis goods you could want. (Just make sure you stay following possession limits.)
Other Florida Medical Marijuana Rules and Regulations
Where can you buy Medical Marijuana in Florida?
Medical marijuana patients can only purchase cannabis from licensed dispensaries known as Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers, and you can find the list of these dispensaries here. So many of these dispensaries offer cannabis delivery services to patients with their MMJ cards, and delivery fees may apply.
Where can you consume cannabis in Florida?
It is illegal to consume cannabis in any public place. Unless your workplace permits consumption, you cannot consume cannabis at your job. (Unless you’re okay with your boss firing you — probably.)Other areas where smoking is prohibited include:
- On a school campus
- Aboard a motor vehicle
- Public bus
- Train
- Aircraft
- Watercraft
You must only consume your marijuana in your private residence. In addition, it is illegal to drive under the influence of marijuana in Florida.
Does Florida accept out-of state-medical marijuana cards?
No. Florida does not afford patients with out-of-state medical marijuana cards the protection offered to qualified patients in Florida. However, it allows seasonal residents to apply for a Florida medical marijuana card.
Can a minor obtain an MMJ card in Florida?
A minor in Florida with any qualifying conditions can also enroll for the Florida MMJ program with their parent or legal guardian’s written consent and after obtaining a marijuana certification from two different doctors.
Elevate Holistics May Help You Get Your Florida Medical Marijuana Card Soon
If you’re interested in getting your medical marijuana card in Florida, we don’t blame you. Doing so allows you the legal freedoms and confidence you deserve to enjoy your medication in peace. But, how do you get your MMJ card in the first place? Through services like Elevate’s, of course.
Elevate Holistics specializes in helping people get medical recommendations from board-certified doctors. Without a doctor’s recommendation, getting your MMJ card is impossible! That’s why Elevate makes this first step effortless. Plus, it happens 100% online, right in the comfort of your home.
Later this fall, Elevate Holistics will be available to hold your hands through your wellness journey using medical marijuana in Florida. We are currently putting in the necessary work to open up our services to you in Florida and help you access your medical marijuana cards in the easiest way possible. We don’t want you to be left out, though! So, head on over to our partners at Heally in the meantime. They offer the same incredible online services as we do. Click here to get started!
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