Unlike medical marijuana doctors, the State of Florida has only authorized a handful of licensed dispensing organizations that are legally allowed to cultivate, process, and dispense medical marijuana. For some patients, this means finding a nearby dispensary is just a few miles away. For others, they may have to travel a little bit farther to get their medication.
Currently, there are only about 30 licensed medical marijuana dispensaries in the state, or about one for every 3,000 patients. These medical marijuana treatment centers, or MMTCs, are generally concentrated in densely populated cities, making those patients that live in rural areas at a geographical disadvantage.
However, many dispensaries in the state are now offering delivery services to patients. Depending on distance, there may be a small charge for the delivery, but this is a convenient option for those in the state.
In Florida, only medical marijuana is available to patients who qualify. Unlike other states where recreational marijuana is legal and adults of proper age can walk into a dispensary and walk out with their choice of marijuana, medical marijuana is restricted to those who have a Florida Medical Marijuana Debilitating Condition:
In the State of Florida, patient’s are entered into the State’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use Registry where physicians can provide their recommendations and dispensaries can access this information. These doctor/dispensary relationships are sort of like a pharmacy, except that in the state, and the country as a whole, marijuana is still federally illegal so prescriptions do not exist.
Your qualifying physician will enter into the system the following:
The State of Florida only allows four ways, or delivery methods, in which to consume medical marijuana. Currently, smokable flower is not one of them.
The options are:
Physicians may recommend different delivery methods depending on ailment and patient feedback. They may also recommend two types of delivery methods.
As a patient, it is helpful to provide your doctor feedback on the delivery method and whether it is effective at helping you with your specific ailment.