Florida Establishes THC Limits On MMJ Prescriptions

Florida Establishes THC Limits On MMJ Prescriptions

The dosing restrictions and supply caps were in place for nearly six years following the Florida voter’s approval of a constitutional amendment legalizing medical cannabis.

The rule establishes 70-day supply limits on different routes of administration and calculates the equivalent daily dosage for the caps. Patients’ daily THC doses will be limited to 60 mg in edibles, 350mg for vaporization, 200mg for capsules or tinctures, and 190m for sublinguals, suppositories, and topicals.

According to several interviews with News Service personnel, just a fraction (about 800,000) of the state’s medical-marijuana patients would require overrides for new limits.

Additionally, industry insiders expect that marijuana products will become more expensive for patients due to the restrictions on supply and dosage. Patients often look for sales when buying marijuana.

However, due to the federal status of cannabis, patients must pay in full for all doctors’ visits and supplies. 

“It’s basically making people shop at Publix when they could go to Sam’s Club and get the bulk discount,” Said Beasley, pointing out that many medical-marijuana patients in Florida are on fixed incomes or retired. “If they had done the normal rule process, where they had public comment from patients, from doctors, they would have had that (information).”

Additionally, Patients who buy products that do not work for them could be prevented from purchasing replacement products within the timeframe of 70 days.

Barry Gordon, a physician with Compassionate Cannabis Clinic in Venice, attacked the process used to regulate cannabis and the rule itself.

Gordon states, “I think what this demonstrates is just the utter disregard that the DOH (Department of Health) has for not only the doctors who actively participate in the program with honor and integrity and diligence, trying to follow the rules of a very difficult process to navigate already, much less the patients who are disrespected.” He continues, “But to send this out on a Friday afternoon with no discussion, with no workshops, with nothing, is just an unbelievable malfeasance…Who does that?”

The Office of Medical Marijuana provides calculators and instructional guides that patients can use to calculate how much they have bought, how much they can purchase, and when they can renew their orders.

Beasley described the process as “unnecessarily burdensome” and said it was especially difficult for older patients with cognitive declines.

She continues, “I do this full time and I have a medical doctorate and it’s taxing for my brain.”

Patients are facing new restrictions shortly after the ballot initiative legalizing recreational marijuana use for Floridians over 21. Trulieve, Florida’s largest medical marijuana company, donated $5 million in seed capital to help get the initiative for the 2024 ballot rolling.

Florida Establishes THC Limits On MMJ Prescriptions

“It just seems like there is this disconnect where some of the politicians —- not all —- feel as if building a good medical program leads to legalization faster,” she said.

“In my opinion, it’s the opposite. If you make the medical patients mad and limit their access to their medicine and make it expensive and harder to get, then they’re just going to say, ‘Screw this. I’m just going to sign the legalization petition so I don’t have to deal with jumping through these hoops.’”

What are your thoughts on the THC limits? Let us know in the comments below! Join a discussion group on Sativa University and stay up to date with cannabis news!

Up next: Medical Marijuana Giants Struggling To Enter Recreational Market in N.Y.

Check out our Onlne Dispensary for organic and premium cannabis flower. No medical card required!