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Florida Lifts Smoking Medical Cannabis Ban

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[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]S[/dropcap]moking cannabis in Florida has been banned for years, even as other forms were available for medical use. However, that ended on March 18 when Gov. Ron DeSantis signed SB-182 into law.

The legislation reverses the ban put forth by former Gov. Rick Scott in 2017 which banned smoking cannabis. Earlier this year, DeSantis challenged the Legislature to create legislation legalizing smokable cannabis and vowed to challenge the law in the courts otherwise if they didn’t meet the deadline.

“Over 70 percent of Florida voters approved medical marijuana in 2016,” said DeSantis in a statement. “I thank my colleagues in the Legislature for working with me to ensure the will of the voters is upheld. Now that we have honored our duty to find a legislative solution, I have honored my commitment and filed a joint motion to dismiss the state’s appeal and to vacate the lower court decision which had held the prior law to be unconstitutional.”

The legislation was passed with overwhelming support by the state legislators. It allows 2.5 ounces of whole flower cannabis every 35 days and allows patients to buy up to a 210-day supply at a time. Patients 18 and under to smoke medical cannabis if they have a terminal condition and have gotten a second opinion from a pediatrician. Patients must also sign an informed consent form acknowledging the health risks of smoking cannabis.

“Today is a landmark victory for patients across Florida and for our democracy,” said Nikki Fried, Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services. “It’s a triumph owed to the relentless advocacy of Floridians who refused to be silenced. Our state must not disregard the voice of its people—when the people’s will is nullified by those with authority, liberty cannot survive. Patients should be able to access medicine in the form their doctor determines best for them. Whether it’s smoking medical marijuana or other delivery mechanisms, treatment decisions should be made by physicians, not politicians.”

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