There’s only about a week until Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ deadline and House and Senate leaders in the state are getting closer to repealing the state ban on smoking medical marijuana.
State Sen. Jeff Brandes and state Rep. Ray Rodrigues confirmed this week that they have reached an accord on a proposal that would allow patients to purchase up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana for smoking every 35 days, ban smoking of medical marijuana in public places and allow terminally ill children to smoke the treatment. The latter would only be allowed if the children have a second opinion from a pediatrician.
it was on Tuesday that Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, filed an amendment that’s a blueprint for the repeal of the smoking prohibition.
Dispensaries in Florida will be able to sell any form of smokable marijuana under the revised plan. Patients will also be able to buy devices to smoke marijuana at state-licensed medical marijuana treatment centers or other retail outlets.
“The House’s concern is that we believe the people voted for medical marijuana. We do not believe the people voted for recreational marijuana, and if there’s no limit, then the concern is there could be an excess amount of product that’s out there. We believe that would be diverted for recreational purposes,” said Rodrigues.
“Of course there’s going to be some on both sides that are not happy. But we spent days working on these issues,” Brandes told the News Service.
