For anyone who was not paying attention, after many years and several ballots, Amendment #2 has passed, which means patients suffering from debilitating illnesses will soon have access to medical marijuana in Florida. Exactly how it will work is still a bit up in the air.
The regulations will be a long time coming, however, the Florida Department of Health has until July 2017 to pass regulations under the new amendment. By October, the state must start registering growers, dispensaries and other facilities and start issuing identification cards for patients approved to use marijuana.
So who can get medical marijuana in Florida after the law takes effect? The List of Approved Conditions for a Florida Medical Marijuana Prescription include:
- Glaucoma
- Cancer
- HIV/AIDS
- Parkinson’s disease
- Crohn’s disease
- Hepatitis
- Multiple sclerosis
The list is not exhaustive. Florida will use a broad-spectrum approach. The government has allowed doctors to determine if you qualify for medical marijuana use. That means even if your specific condition isn’t listed, there’s still a chance that you can use medical marijuana to treat it, so long as your doctor approves the decision and will write you a certification.
The Florida Supreme Court has determined that other qualifying conditions include those that cause “impaired strength, weakness or enfeeblement”. That covers a very broad range of possibilities, from Alzheimer’s to back pain and even insomnia. The most important thing to remember is that your doctor has to agree that the benefits of taking medical marijuana for your condition outweigh the potential health risks of your condition.
***
> PBCH: (561) 752-9288