Amendment 2 refers to a constitutional amendment that was made by the program in charge of medical marijuana in Florida. On November 8, 2016 an election was held to oppose or support medical marijuana and about 77% of the voters were in favor of the Amendment. As a result, a brand new section was added to the constitution of the state of Florida. That particular section was entitled “Medical Marijuana production, use and protection”. Amendment 2 plays a major role in protecting caregivers, patients with qualifying conditions, physicians as well as medical marijuana dispensaries, civil sanctions, staff from criminal persecutions not under the Federal law but under Florida law. Also, the Legislature got to enact and later on revised implementing legislation. To implement laws, the Florida Department of Health Office of Medical Marijuana Use tend to issue rules and regulations.
What are the debilitating medical conditions?
It is essential to note that quite a number of health conditions are considered when assessing whether one is clearly in need of use of medical marijuana. They are divided into two categories namely; categories that qualify and categories that could qualify but all are equally considerable. The conditions that qualify include;
- Glaucoma
- Epilepsy
- HIV/AIDS
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
- Chrohn’s disease
- Cancer
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Parkinson’s disease
- Multiple Sclerosis
Conditions that could qualify include;
- Anxiety
- Radiation therapy and chemotherapy side effects
- Psoriasis
- Osteoarthritis
- Dementia
- Endometriosis
- Dystonia
- Depression
- ADHD
- Diabetes
- Anorexia
- Alzheimer’s
- Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Autism
- Neurotherapy
- Nausea
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Hepatitis C
- Essential Tremor that is kinetic
- Cerebral Palsy
- Insomnia
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Tourette’s
- Meniere’s disease
- Fibromyalgia
- Arthritis
- Chronic muscle spasms
- Migraine headache
- Traumatic Brain injury
- Ulcerative Colitis (UC)
- Tardive Dyskinesia
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Sickle cell Anemia
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Seizures
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Myasthenia Gravis (MG)
- Restless leg disorder
- Lyme Diseases
Authorization is released to patients which doctors think that their medical conditions fall under the listed category. Also, only people that prove to be residents of Florida are allowed to use medical marijuana.
How does one qualify to be a certified caregiver?
The Amendment 2 Florida medical marijuana laws requires caregivers to adhere to several rules and regulations. They include;
- They ought to ensure that they return the registry Identity card that was issued in relation to a patient that no longer have eligible conditions.
- They must not be in possession of other forms of medical cannabis that does not include the form in which it is recommended for use by the certified patients.
- They should avoid share or sell medical marijuana. In addition, they should refrain from delivering the medical marijuana to people that are not legally permitted to use medical marijuana.
- A caregiver should never be found with a quantity of medical marijuana that exceeds the amount allowed for each certified patients they could be giving care to.
- They ought to stick to the same report requirements as described above for the patient under their care.
- For each certified patients they attend to, they should obtain a registry Identity card for each one of them.
- They should not act as caregivers to more than five patients.
What are the various types in which medical marijuana come in?
It is important to keep in mind that variations will occur in the array of medication based on the MMTC as well as prices of medical marijuana products. One has the freedom to buy any amount of the product provided it does not out-step the prescribed 70 day medication assignment that one is permitted to partake at once. The question is: Is medical marijuana legal in Florida you ask? Yes it is. The Guidelines on dosage are to start low and go slow too. Moreover, one has the freedom to select any combination or rather products on a condition that they avoid violating any of the exceptions listed in the prescriptions provided by their physicians. The products come in various forms including; oral spray tincture, concentrated extracts, high CBD, high THC, ground flowers, Indica, hybrid and Sativa.
Which places can patients access medical marijuana products?
To begin with, Medical Marijuana Treatment Center or (MMTC) is a common term used to refer to medical marijuana dispensaries in Florida. These dispensaries are permitted to carry out quite a number of activities revolving around marijuana including growing, cultivation, manufacturing as well as selling marijuana and marijuana products. Usually, every dispensary not only have its own array of products but also a distinguished brand. Different MMTC deal with different items and therefore one should choose a dispensary that deals with the products that they are interested in.
What amount of medical marijuana is a patient allowed to possess
2.5 ounces is the amount that patients that use medical marijuana are allowed to receive every thirty five days. Patients are not allowed to possess medical marijuana products exceeding four ounces at a particular time.
Can one open a medical marijuana business at the moment?
The answer is no. This is because the department happens not to be accepting applications for MMTC at this particular moment. Perhaps in future, there will be opportunities for application.
Are patients permitted to grow medical marijuana?
The answer to this question is no. Notably, an authorized user of medical marijuana does not ultimately suggest that one has the free will to decide on growing the plant themselves. One is required to pay $50 million to get the state license to grow it. Therefore, it is a good advice for legalized users to stick to practicing what they are permitted to do.
What is expected of medical marijuana doctors?
A licensed medical marijuana doctor commonly known as MMJ doctors are supposed to first diagnose the patients of the conditions listed. This process includes examining and assessing the medical history of the patients. If conditions are met, they are then free to be certified. The certification ought to be with clear indication that the patient’s potential health risks will be eliminated by the help of medical marijuana. In addition to that, the duration of the legal use of medical marijuana by a patient ought to be indicated by the licensed Medical Marijuana doctor.
Notably, most health facilities have doctors that have undergone intensive training and surpass the certification stage as required by the state. Such hospitals only require you to contact them directly and you don’t have to be referred by one of your usual doctors. Once eligibility of a patient is confirmed, they are issued with a registry identity number for patients. That particular Identity number is so essential as it is to be filled in the application form so as to complete the state’s application requirements. Notably, the application here is the actual registration that one files for to acquire a medical marijuana card. At this point, the doctors in charge will add the patient’s name to the Florida Medical Marijuana Use Registry. They will put down the patient’s name, diagnosis, recommendation, identity number among other identification information profile. From this point, the applicant is required to wait for authorization from the state as well as activation of their application. Later on a medical marijuana card is issued and from there a patient can access medical marijuana products freely.
The Amendment 2 does not do the following?
Amendment 2 Florida happens not to permit publicly smoking of marijuana. In addition, it also does not to alter with laws that are against driving under the influence of marijuana. Also it does not change the fact that employees as well as educational institutions should not smoke medical marijuana while at the places of work or school respectively. Besides, Amendment 2 does not alter with the federal law on the issue of prohibition of marijuana possession as well as distribution.