There is some hope.
Getting medical cannabis legalized in Florida took a while. The constitutional amendment was passed on a second attempt on November 8th, 2016. It passed with 71.3% of the vote. I have been reluctant to go through the time, paperwork and expense of getting my medical marijuana card. Living in Lakeland, Florida, I have access to several nearby dispensaries. Without the card, I am not allowed to even purchase CBD products or cannabis topicals, despite those options causing no psychoactive effects. I suffer from a variety of minor medical concerns. I have psoriasis on my knees and elbows, plantar fasciitis in my feet and arthritis in my hands. I periodically deal with nocturnal leg crams and migraines. I once tore my trapezius muscle and it flairs up every now and then. None of my symptoms are life-threatening, but they do negatively impact my productivity, sleep and quality of life. I am unwilling to take synthetic pharmaceuticals due to the long-range side-effects. I am convinced the consequences of the medicine would be worse than my current problems. I would like to enjoy the benefits of a plant-based medicine. Cannabis has shown amazing potential for treating pain, inflammation and skin conditions. CBD in particular would be very helpful to me. CBD is completely safe and doesn’t result in a high sensation. I find it ridiculous that I can take harmful synthetic drugs but am not permitted a safe and natural medicine. While I could spend the money on an MMJ card, it would expire in one year and I’d be back where I started. I keep hoping recreational weed will be legalized in Florida. There is some hope. A recent, proposed initiative received almost one million signigatures, allowing the legalization of recreational marijuana to qualify for the 2024 general election ballot. The campaign for legalized weed is being pushed by Smart & Safe Florida and is backed by Trulieve. If the measure passes, it would allow adults 21+ to use and possess up to three ounces of marijuana.