Leon County Cannabis – Is It Legal & Where To Buy 2024

Is Cannabis Cultivation Legal in Leon County?

Cannabis can be grown in Leon County, but only for medical use. While adult-use marijuana remains illegal in Florida, medical marijuana was legalized in 2016.

Medical marijuana with low THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) content can only be grown in marijuana treatment facilities, in accordance with Florida Statute 381.986. A qualified patient or caregiver may have their registration canceled if they are caught growing marijuana outside of a medical marijuana treatment facility or if they grow marijuana with another person that is not registered.

Cannabis for medical use or marijuana with a low THC content should be grown in a contained space in an indoor area away from other plants. In compliance with Florida Statute 581.131, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services issues the certificate of registration to applicants for medical marijuana treatment facilities.

Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers (MMTCs) are granted permits by the department to cultivate, process, dispense, and transport marijuana. These facilities must be at least 500 feet away from any elementary, middle, or high school, whether public or private. Outdoor cultivation is prohibited in the State of Florida.

Is Cannabis Manufacturing Legal in Leon County?

Yes, Leon County permits the manufacturing of marijuana. Florida Statute 381.986 states that the only people who can legally possess, manufacture, dispense, sell, distribute, deliver, and dispose of marijuana are certified medical marijuana treatment centers and their owners, workers, and managers.

Medical marijuana treatment centers are required to produce in a sealed area that is separate from other plants and goods. The treatment centers are required to package the marijuana in containers with labels that are firmly attached, easily readable, and include the following information:

• Low-THC marijuana or medical marijuana that is suitable for human consumption

• Product name and dosage form, including cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol concentrations; Product names should not contain terms or phrases that are often used in ads for children.

• Name of the company that runs the medical marijuana treatment center where the marijuana was made

• The batch number, harvest number, and dispensation date for medical marijuana production

• Name of the patient

• The name of the medical professional who granted the certification

• A sign prohibiting the distribution of medical marijuana to others

• Recommended dosage

• A universal marijuana symbol generated by the department

Additionally, edibles and marijuana products for medical use that are meant to be smoked must be packaged in durable, opaque white containers. The only image that may be used on the packaging is the logo for a medical marijuana treatment center that has been licensed and approved by the Department of Health. Products need to have warning labels to keep kids away from them. The presence of hazardous carcinogens in medical marijuana products intended for smoking must also be disclosed on warning labels.

The following requirements must be met by medical marijuana treatment centers in order to ensure the security of their building locations:

• Ensure that the building has a waiting room with chairs for patients and caregivers.

• Make sure the outside areas have enough lighting.

• Keep a security alarm system that locks all of the exterior doors and windows.

• Lock up or store marijuana in a safe.

• Not distribute marijuana on its property between 9:00 p.m. and 7 a.m. However, marijuana can be delivered to patients 24 hours a day.

• Install a video surveillance system that records all day long.

• If the treatment facility learns of a robbery or marijuana loss, it must immediately notify the police or the local authorities within 24 hours.

• All employees should be required to wear identity badges while they are at work.

• Make it mandatory for guests to wear visitor IDs at all times while on the premises.

• Implement a rule prohibiting drug and alcohol consumption at work.

• Impose a requirement that whenever marijuana is being processed, stored, or grown, there must always be at least two staff present.

Is Cannabis Retail Legal in Leon County?

Yes. In the state of Florida and Leon County, only licensed medical marijuana treatment centers are allowed to operate marijuana dispensaries. Only authorized patients can purchase medical marijuana from these dispensaries. Licensed medical marijuana treatment centers are allowed to distribute low-THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) marijuana, marijuana equipment, and medical marijuana.

Florida Statute 381.986 mandates that medical marijuana dispensaries demonstrate that the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration satisfies the potency requirements for low-THC marijuana and that the label specifying the cannabidiol and THC concentration levels should be legible before dispensing marijuana. Every marijuana product must be safe for human use and free of contaminants. Oils, tinctures, flowers, topicals, concentrates, pills or tablets, and edible products are the different medical marijuana products available in Florida.

Edibles and low-THC marijuana are allowed in Leon County, according to Florida Statute 381.986. Medical marijuana treatment centers that produce edibles are required to get a food facility license, according to the Florida Food Safety Act. Florida Statute 381.986 states that no edibles may contain more than 200 mg of tetrahydrocannabinol or more than 10 mg of tetrahydrocannabinol per serving. In edibles, the concentration variance shouldn't exceed 15%.

The medical marijuana treatment center must examine the patient's Medical Marijuana Use Registry card in order to confirm the type and dosage of medical marijuana that the licensed doctor has prescribed. Only the dosages and delivery devices for medical marijuana that have been prescribed to patients are sold.

Is Cannabis Delivery Legal in Leon County?

Yes. Florida Statute 381.986 permits licensed medical marijuana treatment centers to transport and distribute marijuana for medical uses. Delivery is only available to patients with active medical marijuana cards and their approved caregivers who also have active cards. Delivery is offered every day.

Additionally, in order to guarantee the secure delivery of marijuana to authorized patients, other medical marijuana treatment centers, or marijuana testing facilities, medical marijuana treatment centers must maintain marijuana transportation manifests on any vehicle that transports marijuana.

These transportation manifests must be created by the treatment center's seed-to-sale monitoring system and must include the following details:

• Name, license number, and location of the medical marijuana treatment center where the medical marijuana was obtained

• Name and address of the recipient of the marijuana

• Scheduled departure date and time

• Arrival time and date as anticipated

• Marijuana or marijuana delivery device supplied, in what quantity and form

• Name and signature of a medical marijuana treatment center employee

• The license plate number, make, and model of the delivery vehicle

How to Get Medical Marijuana Card in Leon County

Each patient must be a resident of Florida, have a qualifying medical condition established by a licensed doctor, and be registered in the Medical Marijuana Use Registry by a licensed doctor with a Medical Marijuana Use Registry Patient ID number in order to receive a Florida medical marijuana card.

Applications for new patients must include:

• A form of application

• A copy of your Florida driver's license, a valid ID, or another kind of residence proof

• $75 application fee by cheque or money order made payable to the Florida Department of Health

• A 2x2 inch full-face photograph that was taken not more than 90 days before submitting the application

Minor applications must further contain:

• A form for registering their authorized caregiver with the Medical Marijuana Use Registry.

The qualifying health conditions are:

• Multiple sclerosis

• Crohn's disease

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

• Parkinson's disease

• Positive status for human immunodeficiency virus

• Epilepsy

• Cancer

• Acquired immune deficiency syndrome

• Posttraumatic stress disorder

• Chronic nonmalignant pain

• Glaucoma

• An untreatable disease identified by a medical professional other than the certifying doctor who issued the certificate

• Diseases of the same class or category as those listed above

The Department of Health suggests applicants complete the application online to hasten the process. A notification will be sent to the patient by the Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU) once the email has been approved and registered by a qualified doctor. The qualified doctor will then direct the patients to the application. Eligible patients can place their order at a medical marijuana treatment center (MMTC) using the approval email they receive once their application has been approved. This is applicable for cases where the physical card hasn't arrived yet.

To learn more about Florida medical marijuana cards, you may reach out:

Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU)

Tampa, Florida

PO Box 31313

medicalmarijuanause@flhealth.gov

Tel: (800) 808-9580

How Has Cannabis Legalization Impacted the Economy of Leon County?

According to a Duke University study titled "An Economic Analysis of Marijuana Legalization in Florida," if recreational marijuana use were allowed, Florida would make $145.7 million a year in short-term revenue and $285.5 million a year in tax revenue.

Despite Florida Statute 381.986's exemption of medical marijuana from taxation, gross sales are still subject to a 6% statewide sales tax.

In Florida, approved medical marijuana treatment facilities sold a total of 250,439,177 milligrams of medical marijuana between December 2-8, 2022, according to an update issued by the Office of Medical Marijuana Use.

The Effects of Cannabis Legalization on Crime Rates in Leon County

According to an arrest database published by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Leon County had an increasing number of drug arrests from 2015 to 2016 and 2017—from 1,415, 1,657, and 2,030 instances, respectively.

Data gathered from the same report indicates that the number of DUI instances in Leon County from 2015 to 2016 and 2017 increased from 433, 499, and 507, respectively.

Note that Florida approved the use of marijuana for medical purposes in 2016.