Medical Cannabis in Florida
The Florida Legislature passed the first medical marijuana program in 2014, the Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act, also called “Charlotte’s Web Legislation.” This law allowed patients severely ill with cancer or epilepsy to use medical cannabis with low-THC.
The last medical marijuana law that became effective in Florida was The Florida Medical Marijuana Legalization Initiative, or Amendment 2, on Nov. 8, 2016. Florida voters passed the law with more than 70 percent voting in favor.
This medical marijuana law allowed broader legalization of Florida’s medical cannabis program, expanding the list of qualifying conditions, transitioning the Office of Compassionate Use (OCU) to the Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU), and establishing more Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers (MMTCs).
As for recreational marijuana in Florida, sales, possession, and use are still illegal.
Qualifications for Florida’s Medical Marijuana Program
A qualified patient must be a Florida resident with a valid Florida I.D., at least 18 years old, and have been diagnosed with one of the program’s qualifying medical conditions. You must be able to prove that you have tried previous treatments. If you are under 18 or terminal, you must also get a second opinion of another physician.
Qualifying Conditions
- Cancer
- Epilepsy
- Glaucoma
- HIV
- AIDS
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Crohn’s disease
- Parkinson’s disease
- Multiple sclerosis (MS)
- Medical conditions of the same kind or class as or comparable to those above.
- A terminal condition diagnosed by a physician other than the qualified physician issuing the physician certification.
- 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.
How to Become a Medical Marijuana Patient in Florida?
If you’d like to become a Florida medical cannabis patient, you must follow the following steps.
First, you will need to obtain legitimate medical records or documentation from your primary care physician describing your diagnosis and take them to your marijuana evaluation consultation. Once you gather your medical records, you must appoint a consultation with a physician in Florida registered with the Medical Marijuana Use Registry.
When you attend your consultation, the doctor will evaluate your ailments and check if medical marijuana is an appropriate choice for your treatment. After you’re deemed eligible by the ordering doctor, he/she will register you into the state of Florida Department of Medical Marijuana Use Registry, in which a patient number is issued.
Once you’re in the Registry, you can submit a completed application to the Office of Medical Marijuana Use. Submitting the application may take some time. There have been cases in which took two months for the DOH to review the patient’s application and issue their MMJ card. The fee for the application and MMJ card is $75.
There are a few additional minor regulations set in place by the state of Florida that must be understood and followed precisely:
- You MUST complete the Patient Attestation Form and bring it into your appointment with the doctor.
- You MUST re-certify your license/medical card every 70 days.
- A medical marijuana card in Florida is ONLY VALID FOR 210 DAYS. It must be also be re-certified every 70 days otherwise it will become completely invalid. When the 210-day validation is about to expire, you will need to renew entirely 45 days before its expiration date.
How Can Veriheal Help You with the Process of Getting your Medical Marijuana Card in Florida?
Veriheal does the hard part for you and automatically connects you with a Florida registered physician who is allowed to recommend medical cannabis treatment. Veriheal’s team of qualified professionals will give you assistance during the entire process of getting your MMJ card.
You must register on our website and schedule your consultation with one of our Florida approved physicians. Then, you must attend your consultation in person with the doctor, who will evaluate you and register you on the program.
The consultation usually takes 5-10 minutes. You will be able to talk to the physician where he/she will answer your questions about medical cannabis treatment.
The fee for the individual package is $199 and covers your medical evaluation, consultation, recommendation, and approval. There is a success rate of 99%. However, if you are not eligible, you will receive a full refund.
Medical marijuana cards in Florida are only valid for 210 days and must undergo re-certification every 70 days. If you don’t, your card will be made invalid. For no additional fee, a Veriheal doctor will consult with you online through our platform to make sure your card stays valid.
What Do I Do After I get My MMJ card?
All of Florida’s MMJ patients must purchase their product from a licensed Medical Marijuana Treatment Center (MMTC). There’re also delivery services available. MMTCs cannot dispense more than a 70-day supply at a time.
Patients can purchase marijuana in the forms of smokeable flower and vape products, edibles, topicals, extracts, and tinctures. Physicians can order up to six 35-day supplies of smokeable medical marijuana within each certification. Each 35-day order may not exceed 2.5 ounces. Patients are able to possess up to 4 oz of medical marijuana flower, however, they re not permitted to grow their own plants.
If you have any more questions about Florida’s Medical Marijuana Program click here.
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