Florida’s first Medical Marijuana Dispensary to open in Tallahassee

Posted by Sagar Satapathy on July 25, 2016.

Two years after the state lawmakers and Gov. Rick Scott approved the sale of medical marijuana, Florida’s first medical marijuana dispensary is scheduled to open at 800 Capital Circle SE, Tallahassee next Tuesday.

The Florida Department of Health on Wednesday provided final permission to a company called Trulieve, one of Florida’s six medical cannabis licensees, to process and dispense the non-euphoric marijuana low in THC across the state.

"We are happy to announce that we have passed all inspections --- from growing and processing to dispensing --- and are the very first medical cannabis provider in the state to receive these formal authorizations. And we are most excited to get this much anticipated medicine to the patients of Florida," Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers said in a statement.

The low-THC medical marijuana was approved in 2014 by the Florida Legislature under the "Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act" for patients with cancer or a medical condition that causes chronic seizures or muscle spasms.

As many as 15 doctors have already signed up to order the low-THC products, but no patients are registered yet on the statewide database of Floridians who are eligible for the treatment.

To access the drug legally, patients must be approved by a doctor who has passed a medical marijuana course. Then, they can place an order with any of the licensed dispensaries in the state.

Voters will decide on the November ballot whether Florida should legalize full-strength marijuana for a variety of medical ailments, including Parkinson's disease, glaucoma, HIV, AIDS and post-traumatic stress disorder.

In the USA, 25 states and the District of Columbia have passed legislation to legalize the possession and distribution of medical marijuana, while four states — Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Colorado  have legalized recreational marijuana for adults.

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