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Medical Marijuana Use Continues to Expand in Florida

Medical Marijuana Sign at Curaleaf in Tallahassee
Jade Jacobs

The medical marijuana industry continues to grow in Florida following a 2016 constitutional amendment. It’s getting easier for patients who suffer from certain conditions to receive the drug.

Florida currently has *fourteen medical marijuana operators authorized under the Department of Health and there are dispensaries in most counties.  Those who suffer from conditions like Cancer, Epilepsy and Glaucoma have the option of obtaining their medical cards from qualified physicians. But there are restrictions on how the drug can be consumed says Curaleaf Dispensary Manager Chris Barnett.

“Distribution for patients is either inhalation, which would be vaporizing marijuana, oral which would be ingested, sublingual which would be oils under the tongue, or topical, which would be a topical balm for localized pain.”

Smoking is still illegal under state law, but there is a lawsuit challenging that. Ten states have approved the drug for recreational use and 33 states have legalized it for medical use, however it is still illegal under federal law. 

Correction: The original post inluded twelve medical marijuana operators, but there are now fourteen. 

Jade Jacobs is a fourth year broadcast journalism student at Florida A&M University. Before interning at WFSU, Jade worked at Antioch Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church as a media intern in Dallas, Texas. She has also served as a live shot reporter on FAMU TV News 20, a writer for the FAMUAN and Journey Magazine and a radio personality on WANM 90.5 The Flava Station's Saturday Morning Show. After graduation, she plans to continue to work in the journalism field as a news reporter. She enjoys shopping, inspirational quotes and traveling.