The Florida Department of Health (DOH) continues to focus on the health and safety of Florida’s families and is dedicated to ensuring patients have safe access to low-THC cannabis and medical marijuana. We are pleased to provide this weekly update on the DOH Office of Medical Marijuana Use’s (OMMU) diligent work implementing the many requirements in Amendment 2 and those set by the Florida Legislature in section 381.986, F.S. (2018).
This week we held a rule workshop to receive input from the public on many rules related to the regulation of medical marijuana treatment centers.
The Department of Health has appealed the April 11, 2018 order entered by Judge Karen Gievers regarding home grow. Her order has been stayed. Therefore, at this time, there has been no change to the prohibition on home grow.
The Department remains committed to ensuring that all medical marijuana and low-THC cannabis is dispensed according to the law.
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OMMU by the Numbers
| Patients in the Registry: 98,045* Patients added since last update: 2,585 |
Processing Time for Complete Paper Application: 22 days |
| Qualified Physicians: 1,314 | Processing Time for Complete Online Application: 17 days |
| Approved Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers: 13 | Approved ID Card Applications: 71,456* Card applications approved since last update: 2,441 |
| Approved Retail Dispensing Locations:32 |
Applications in Processing: 2,579 |
| Amount of Medical Marijuana Dispensed This Week (April 6-13): 20,208,065 mgs | Amount of Low-THC Cannabis Dispensed This Week (April 6-13): 1,278,608 mgs |
| Total Inspections to date: 148 Total Inspections for 2018: 65 |
Total Employees Hired to date: 27 |
*Note, not all patients entered into the medical marijuana use registry apply for medical marijuana use identification cards.
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Implementation Updates
- Low-THC cannabis and medical marijuana has been and continues to be available for qualified patients. Patients may search for qualified ordering physicians using the new search tool on the OMMU Patients Page. Patients and caregivers may fill their orders at any of the 32 dispensing locations, or via delivery from approved MMTCs below.
- Today we held a rule workshop to discuss many rules related to MMTCs. For more information click here.
- The mailing address for Patient and Caregiver ID card applications has changed: PO Box 31313, Tampa, FL 33631-3313
- The OMMU Registry Identification Card design has been updated. Previous versions of the card are still valid, however, new cards issued are as shown below:
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Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers
|
Name |
Dispensing Locations |
| Trulieve | Tallahassee, Tampa, Clearwater, Pensacola, Miami, Edgewater, Lady Lake, Jacksonville, Orlando, St. Petersburg, Bradenton, Fort Myers, Gainesville, Vero Beach, delivery |
| Surterra Therapeutics | Pensacola, Tallahassee, Tampa, North Port, Deltona, Orlando, delivery |
| Curaleaf | Miami, Kendall, Lake Worth, St. Petersburg, Ft. Myers, delivery |
| Knox Medical | Tallahassee, Gainesville, Orlando, Jacksonville, Lake Worth, St. Petersburg, delivery |
| Liberty Health Science | Summerfield, delivery |
| The Green Solution | Dispensing via delivery |
| GrowHealthy | Dispensing via delivery |
| 3 Boys Farm | Cultivation Authorization only |
| Vidacann | Cultivation Authorization only |
| Plants of Ruskin, Inc. | Cultivation Authorization only |
| Sunbulb Company, Inc. | Cultivation Authorization only |
| Treadwell Nursery | Cultivation Authorization only |
| Keith St. Germain Nursery Farms | Cultivation Authorization only |
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Legal Updates
The implementation of Amendment 2 and Senate Bill 8A continues to be frequently litigated. While some of these lawsuits have little impact on our progress, others – particularly those regarding the constitutionality of the law we are tasked with executing – have significant impact on DOH’s ability to implement certain requirements of Senate Bill 8A.
| Home Grow
|
Redner v. DOH, et. al., 13th Judicial Circuit Case No. 17-CA-5677
Order granting Plaintiff ability to home grow marijuana entered April 11, 2018. DOH has filed an appeal and the Order is currently stayed pending the ruling on appeal. As a result there is no current change in the law. |
| Smoking Ban
|
People United for Medical Marijuana v. DOH, et. al., 2d Judicial Circuit Case No. 2017-CA-1394
Bench trial set for May 16, 2018. |
| Constitutionality of Black Farmers Provision 381.986(8)(a)2 F.S.
|
Smith v. DOH, 2d Judicial Circuit Case No. 2017–CA-001972
This case has been voluntarily dismissed by Smith. |
| Constitutionality of Citrus Farmers Provision 381.986(8)(a)3 F.S.
|
Tropiflora, LLC v. DOH, 2d Judicial Circuit Case No. 2016-CA-1330
Trial set for June 25, 2018. |
| Application Process | Bill’s Nursery, Inc. v. DOH, 2d Judicial Circuit Case No. 2017-CA-002411
Pending hearing on Motion to Dismiss. |
| MMTC Licensure
|
Nature’s Way v. DOH Case No. 17-5801
Hearing concluded pending proposed recommended orders by parties and issuance of recommended order by the administrative law judge. |
| Constitutionality of Rules | Florigrown LLC v. DOH Case No. 2017-CA-002549
Pending ruling on Motion to Dismiss. |
| Application Process | Patients and Producers Alliance, Inc. v. DOH Case No. 2018-CA-000336
Case filed February 14, 2018 and has been assigned to Judge Dodson. |
| Constitutionally of Law | Trulieve v. DOH Case No. 2018-CA-000698
Case filed April 2, 2018. |
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General Background Information
Medical Marijuana ID Card Application Process:
Once a patient has been diagnosed by a qualified ordering physician and entered into the Medical Marijuana Use Registry, they can immediately begin the identification card application process. The department encourages applicants to complete the process online as this decreases processing time. Patients receive an email from OMMU once their email is added to the registry by their qualified ordering physician which directs them to the application. Once an application is reviewed and approved, patients receive an approval email which can be used to fill an order at an approved MMTC while they await their physical card.
Medical Marijuana Use Registry:
All orders for medical marijuana are recorded and dispensed via the Medical Marijuana Use Registry. The Medical Marijuana Use Registry is accessible online, with real time information to ordering physicians, law enforcement and medical marijuana treatment center staff. Patients and caregivers may also access the Medical Marijuana Use Registry to submit a Medical Marijuana Use Registry Identification Card application, and check the status of their application.
Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers:
Approved medical marijuana treatment centers are the only businesses allowed to grow, process, or sell medical marijuana in Florida. Each medical marijuana treatment center must receive authorization at three stages, (1) cultivation authorization, (2) processing authorization, and (3) dispensing authorization, prior to dispensing low-THC cannabis or medical marijuana. Medical marijuana cannot be mailed.
