Florida Lawmakers Propose Permitting Smokable Medical Cannabis

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]S[/dropcap]everal Floridian lawmakers confirmed on Jan. 22 that major cannabis legislation is on the way this year. A new proposal may include the amendments Gov. Ron DeSantis planned earlier this year, including everything from permitting smokable medical cannabis to full-on recreational cannabis legalization.

“As chair of the Progressive Caucus, one of my responsibilities is make sure that we find a House and Senate sponsor for decriminalization, for full legal and adult use cannabis and for many of the reforms around medical cannabis that we’re talking about,” Rep. Carlos Gillermo Smith said. “There is going to be legislation to match every single issue under the sun related to medical cannabis and adult use recreational cannabis this year.”

The proposal also includes the right for tourists with out-of-state medical cannabis cards to purchase cannabis in Florida as well as increasing the amount of time that a registered patient’s medical card is valid before they have to pay for a renewal.

DeSantis’ lieutenant governor, Jeanette Núñez, recently told the News Service of Florida that the governor might also remove the state from a lawsuit challenging restrictions on the number of companies involved in the state’s cannabis industry. Tallahassee Circuit Court Judge Charles Dodson agreed to overturn a law that capped the number of medical cannabis licenses. He also talks about the restrictions that limits cannabis operators to grow, process and distribute cannabis-related products and proposes making them lenient. But similar to the smoking-ban result, that ruling is under appeal.

It is exciting times for cannabis in Florida as the push to get recreational cannabis on the 2020 ballot is also gaining momentum. Tampa attorney John Morgan, one of the movers and shakers of the state’s medical cannabis movement, said that he will press the measure before voters in 2020, when Democrats are likely to show up in full force. He tweeted that the effort is underway a few weeks back.