TAMPA, Fla. — Florida’s 2022 legislative session kicks off on Tuesday and this yr lawmakers are working to cross a bipartisan medical marijuana invoice.
Florida doesn’t have leisure marijuana and for its medical marijuana program, folks must have a legitimate medical purpose and want to have the ability to get the marijuana prescribed.
“Then you definately’re referred to a what’s known as a vertically built-in MMTC in order that firm goes to develop your product, distribute your product, and that’s additionally who you’re going to purchase it from,” mentioned Andrew Discovered, District 59 Consultant.
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Home Invoice 679 would change Florida’s medical hashish program, providing a number of technical clarifications.
“I believe the very first thing to grasp about 679 is that is the primary bipartisan marijuana package deal we’ve actually run as a state in 5 years for the reason that constitutional modification handed. Simply getting either side to agree on a method ahead, I depend this as a win already,” mentioned Discovered.
The invoice would cut back prices for folks by requiring fewer physician’s visits, permit sufferers to maintain their registration playing cards for 2 years as a substitute of 1, and provides folks the choice to make use of telehealth to refill their prescriptions.
“It’s about entry. , it’s about making issues extra inexpensive for folks. I believe one of many issues that we’ve had is that some folks simply can’t afford the physician’s appointments and the frequency,” mentioned Dr. David Berger, Board Licensed Pediatrician at Wholistic Pediatrics & Household Care.
“In the end it’s decreasing the associated fee on the affected person by about 60% or extra,” mentioned Discovered.
Home Invoice 679 additionally regulates the use and sale of delta-8, a marijuana product with much less THC.
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“It’s nonetheless authorized we’re simply altering some definitions and ensuring the product is secure and examined, and we’re additionally limiting them to the sale of over 21. Proper now there’s no age restrict so youngsters should purchase these things,” mentioned Discovered.
He mentioned this laws improves Florida’s medical marijuana program in a method that makes issues safer and extra sensible.
“This does issues like, once more, like preserving dangerous merchandise out of the fingers of kids, it’s ensuring that we clear up promoting statues so we aren’t inadvertently promoting medical marijuana merchandise usually to minors. It’s bettering this system from a sensible use perspective like I mentioned with telehealth but additionally issues like DUI testing and creating testing councils for that. Ensuring merchandise are secure and {that a} hemp product for instance, like a CBD actually is a CBD. Proper now there’s no testing requirement pre-sale,” mentioned Discovered.
Some advocates of this invoice say the largest enchancment that would come from the laws is permitting telehealth.
“Particularly within the pediatric inhabitants the place I’ve sufferers everywhere in the state. Folks, children with particular wants who simply can’t get in. We additionally had adults who’ve gone into hospice who simply couldn’t get to the workplace anymore. This is able to actually profit lots of people,” mentioned Berger.
