Is Medical Marijuana Legal in Florida?

As a team of Manatee County criminal attorneys, one of the most common questions we receive is:

Is medical marijuana legal to use in Florida?

The short answer is yes. Per Florida statute 381.986, the medical use of marijuana is now legal. There are, however, conditions to this law.

If you’re confused about how legalized medical marijuana works, let the trial lawyers at Flynn Law help.

We have years of experience in winning drug-related cases throughout the Sarasota, Bradenton, Palmetto, Ellenton, St. Petersburg, and Tampa areas. Let us explain the facts about Manatee County weed usage to you before you risk breaking the law.

Just because you get headaches from time to time, it doesn’t mean you’re allowed to purchase or use medical marijuana. To receive approval for this treatment option, you must have one of these qualifying diseases decided upon by the State of Florida.

• Cancer
• ALS
• Crohn’s Disease
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Glaucoma
• Epilepsy
• PTSD
• HIV/AIDS
• Multiple sclerosis

If you have one of these conditions, you should speak with your doctor about possibly getting a prescription for medical marijuana.

Certain restrictions have been put in place to help control medical marijuana usage. Florida law limits the amount of weed patients can purchase at one time.

When a physician decides to treat an illness with marijuana, they will write a 45-day prescription to the patient. The maximum quantity of weed individuals can purchase at one time is this 45-day amount.

For example, if a doctor prescribes 4 ounces of medical marijuana every 45 days, the most that individual can purchase is 4 ounces.

Another question that the Manatee County criminal attorneys at Flynn Law hear quite often is whether users can smoke marijuana in public.

While state regulation now allows for the medical use of marijuana, it can only be used within a private residence. If you are caught smoking or ingesting medical marijuana in a public place, you may receive a ticket whether you are medically needy or not.

If you’re being charged with public possession or have more questions about the legal use of medical marijuana, a Florida criminal attorney can help.

Our team at Flynn Law is ready to help you understand the Florida statutes on these policies. Just give us a call at 941-800-1140 today to set up a FREE CONSULTATION.