As someone interested in medical marijuana in Florida, you may be coming across many different pieces of information. We’ve provided some basic true or false statements below to help clarify what you may be finding.

If you have any questions at all about Florida cannabis, please call our helpful staff in St. Petersburg at 727-209-5470. At Access Marijuana RX, Dr. Lora Brown and our team are committed to helping people find safe, effective relief from pain caused by medical conditions.

1. Florida medical cannabis can be delivered to your home.

True. Once you receive a recommendation, you can have your medical cannabis order delivered discreetly and professionally to you at your home, by the dispensary. This service can be especially beneficial for people whose illnesses or pain make it difficult for them to travel to and from the dispensary.

2. Smoking is a legal method of taking medical cannabis.

False. Current Florida legislation allows vaping, pills, oils or edibles. Smoking is not allowed, although certain groups are planning to file lawsuits claiming smoking cannot be disallowed.

3. Vaping is legal under Amendment 2.

True. Although nixing it was initially part of the legislative discussions in June, vaping is a protected delivery method under Amendment 2.

4. You can grow a marijuana plant in your house.

False. It is illegal to do so.

5. You must have a qualifying condition in order to be eligible for a medical cannabis recommendation.

True. The qualifying conditions are: cancer, HIV/AIDS, PTSD, epilepsy, glaucoma, ALS, Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease OR another condition that is similar in kind or class to these conditions. The last part gives the prescribing physician necessary oversight and flexibility in determining if her patient can benefit from cannabis for their particular source of pain. People with any terminal illness also qualify.

6. Physicians must complete an 8-hour training course in order to become qualified to recommend medical marijuana.

Mostly false. But this was true before the Florida legislature passed updated guidelines in June, 2017. Now a 2-hour training course is required.

7. Cannabinoids are the active ingredient in cannabis.

True. Cannabinoids are chemical compounds that provide pain relief, and cannabis contains more than 80 types of cannabinoids. The most well-known are THC and CBD. Cannabinoids bind to receptors in our endocannabinoid system, resulting in an array of beneficial effects and pain relief.

8. More than 70 percent of voters approved Amendment 2.

True. A majority of Florida voters want effective, safe, natural pain relief to live a better life despite chronic conditions and pain.

9. Tinctures are administered with drops beneath the tongue.

True. Tinctures, also called extracts, are super concentrated cannabis liquids administered with a dropper.

10. Edibles are not allowed under the June rules.

False. The legislative guidelines signed by the Governor in June include edibles.

11. You must receive a doctor’s recommendation before being able to receive medical cannabis.

True. In Florida, you cannot simply go to a store and purchase marijuana. Instead, an approved Florida physician will meet with you in person to discuss your health issues and what you would like to achieve. If she does make a recommendation for medical cannabis, you will soon after be able to go to a dispensary to fulfill that recommendation.

12. Vaporizing is the same as smoking.

False. Smoking involves combustion of the material being burned. Vaporization heats the medical cannabis at a lower temperature than smoking, releasing the beneficial cannabinoids in vapor, not in smoke. Vaping has become quite popular in recent years. Some people feel it is healthier than smoking because smoking can create carcinogenic toxins during the combustion process. The method of delivery is a convenient, relatively small and easy to hold vape pen.

13. Doctors don’t need to be certified to recommend marijuana.

False. To make an official recommendation, your physician must be certified to do so by the Florida Board of Health.

14. Marijuana makes you slow-witted.

False. No research has shown that marijuana lowers IQ. Talk to Dr. Brown if you are concerned about any of the long-term effects of medical cannabis. With her many years of experience, she knows what works and what doesn’t work for her patients. She can review available research with you and provide you with her own information about how her patients have fared with medical cannabis. She wants to make sure whatever choice you ultimately make is the best one for you.

So What Do You Do If You’re Interested?

Call Access Marijuana to schedule your initial consultation. We can be reached at 727-209-5470, or you can complete the form on this page. Our practice is located in St. Petersburg and our patients visit us from across the surrounding areas, including from Tampa, Florida. We understand just how life-altering it can be to live with constant pain and discomfort. Over her many years in practice, Dr. Brown has seen how helpful medical cannabis can be for pain sufferers, and she is determined to help Florida patients utilize the benefits of Amendment 2, if they qualify.