Pubdate: Mon, 23 Apr 2018
Source: Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Copyright: 2018 Sun-Sentinel Company
Website: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/159

MORE THAN 100,000 SIGN UP TO GET MEDICAL MARIJUANA IN FLORIDA

Florida's medical-marijuana patient database has hit the 100,000 mark,
according to a weekly update issued by the state Department of
Health's Office of Medical Marijuana Use.

As of Friday, 100,576 Florida patients had registered with the office,
an increase of more than 2,500 in the past week.

Only 75,208 of the registered patients have been issued ID cards
allowing them to purchase the marijuana treatment, and nearly 3,000
more applications for the cards are being processed.

According to the update, 1,314 doctors have qualified to order
marijuana treatment for patients.

Florida voters broadly legalized medical marijuana in a constitutional
amendment nearly two years ago, but state regulators are fighting a
series of legal and administrative challenges about the laws and rules
related to the burgeoning industry.

Tampa strip-club owner Joe Redner recently won a court victory after
Leon County Circuit Judge Karen Gievers signed off on allowing the
77-year-old cancer survivor to grow his own marijuana. Redner's doctors

testified that juicing marijuana whole plants was the best source of
treatment to keep his cancer in remission. The state is appealing the
decision.

In a separate case initiated by Orlando lawyer John Morgan, who largely
bankrolled the constitutional amendment, patients are challenging a
state law banning smokable marijuana. The patients are arguing that
their doctors have ordered the smokable treatment.
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