Medical marijuana is legal in many parts of the United States. At least 35 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands currently have approved wide-ranging, legally available medical marijuana programs. (These numbers do not include the 12 states which have legalized medical marijuana for medicinal use.) (see Table 1 below for a list of these medical marijuana states)
In addition to being legal, the potential therapeutic benefits of marijuana are considerable. Many patients report a reduction in pain and a reduction in symptoms of some of their debilitating medical conditions. Some patients find that medical marijuana relieves the symptoms of Crohn’s disease or other serious digestive disorders. Medical marijuana has also been found to alleviate the side effects of certain cancer drugs and to reduce the negative side effects of some antipsychotic medications. Further studies are testing the effects of medical marijuana on AIDS and HIV patients.
The safety factor
Unfortunately, until recently there was a lack of rigorous, peer-reviewed clinical trials involving the safety and efficacy of medical marijuana in treating patients with serious illnesses. Four recent studies report results that are possibly noteworthy. One study found that patients using medical marijuana had a significantly lower occurrence of substance abuse and reported less frequent depression and anxiety attacks. A second study found that chronic patient patients were not different from non-patients in terms of measures of quality of life and depression. And a third study reported that chronic patients treated with medical marijuana had a significant improvement in measures of general mental health and functioning.
Florida medical marijuana initiative
The first medical marijuana initiative was filed last year by the Florida legislature. Last week the Florida House passed the bill and it is expected to be sent to Governor Scott next week. According to the Orlando Times, Democratic Senator Victor Crist will move to add two additional members to the state Supreme Court that will restore the right of patients to use marijuana for medicinal purposes. Additionally, Senator Bill Nelson plans to file a medical marijuana constitutional amendment that he says will put the power back into the hands of the states. Currently, nineteen states plus the District of Columbia have legalized medicinal marijuana use. According to the Marijuana Policy Project, at least fourteen additional states are considering bills to legalize some form of marijuana “scope”.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, the Florida House already has approved the first medical marijuana initiative, which will be inserted into the state budget. The new measure will allow qualified patients to use marijuana to treat certain diseases or symptoms of debilitating health conditions. Florida is one of eight states that have not legalized medical marijuana and ten states still prohibit the drug. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in the country, even though it is not classified as a Schedule I drug, as it does not affect the brain chemistry like do the other drugs on the Schedule. However, it is still considered illegal, with all the associated criminal penalties. The Florida House also passed the Medical Use of Marijuana Act, which allows doctors to recommend marijuana to qualified patients.
Dispensaries – Where to get it
While Florida is one of seven states that have not yet taken marijuana out of the black market, the Medical Marijuana Registry Act makes the cultivation, distribution, and possession of the drug a felony, punishable by up to five years in prison. The dispensaries will still need to register with the state as a seller, but the plants can only be purchased by qualified patients. Retail stores are not allowed to sell marijuana. According to the Sentinel, the dispensaries will be regulated by the state, not the federal government, so local law enforcement officials can be consulted when problems arise.
According to the Medical Society of Addiction Medicine, there are currently eleven approved growers, processors, and retail shops in Florida. Of those, only three have received licenses from the Florida Department of Financial Services. The three have been approved to distribute marijuana to qualified medical marijuana patients. Only one of the companies has its license in force. So far, the Medical Marijuana Registry does not list the name or address of the company. Because of this, it is difficult to determine whether or not the company is actually licensed.
Getting a MMJ Card in Florida
Patients in Florida who need help getting a doctor’s opinion on whether they qualify for medical cannabis should not sign any forms for certification. In addition, Florida patients should not give their consent for any testing that may be performed to determine whether they qualify. If testing is performed and the results show that the patient does meet the definition of a qualifying patient, the Medical cannabis Registry will be updated to reflect that fact. But should the testing come back and the results show that the patient does not meet the definition, the case will be dismissed and the doctor’s certificate of eligibility for medical cannabis use removed. Until the regulations change, patients are encouraged to continue to self-medicate.