Manatee County Cannabis – Is It Legal & Where To Buy 2024
- Florida Cannabis
- Manatee County Cannabis
Is Cannabis Cultivation Legal in Manatee County?
Yes, Manatee County permits the cultivation of cannabis, but only for medical purposes. In 2016, medical marijuana became legal in Florida, while adult-use marijuana is still prohibited in the state.
Only marijuana treatment centers are allowed to cultivate low-THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) medical marijuana. This is pursuant to Florida Statute 381.986. According to the law, if a qualified patient or caregiver is discovered to be producing marijuana with someone or anywhere other than a medical marijuana treatment center, their registration may be revoked.
Medical marijuana or marijuana with low THC levels should be grown in a closed area and away from other plants. The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services issues the certificate of registration to applicants for medicinal marijuana treatment centers in accordance with Florida Statute 581.131.
Is Cannabis Manufacturing Legal in Manatee County?
Yes, Manatee County allows marijuana manufacturing. Only registered medical marijuana treatment centers and their owners, employees, and managers are allowed to possess, manufacture, distribute, deliver, dispense, sell, and legally dispose of marijuana, according to Florida Statute 381.986.
Medical marijuana treatment centers must manufacture in a closed structure that is isolated from other plants and products when processing medical marijuana. The marijuana must be packaged by the treatment centers in containers with labels that are clearly legible and permanently attached, containing the following information:
Marijuana with low THC levels or medical marijuana that is safe for human consumption
The medical marijuana treatment center’s business name where the medical marijuana was produced
The date of dispensation, the harvest number, and the batch number of the medical marijuana production
The name of the physician who issued the medical certification
Patient’s name
Product name and dosage form, including tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol concentrations; Product names cannot contain words or phrases typically found in advertisements for or used to target children.
Recommended dosage
A notice stating that it is prohibited to give medical marijuana to others
A universal marijuana symbol created by the department
In addition, edibles or medical marijuana products intended for smoking must be packaged in solid, opaque white containers. The logo for a licensed medical marijuana treatment center that is approved by the Department of Health is the only image that may be used on the packaging. Warning labels must be placed on products to prevent children from using them. Additionally, warning labels must state that medical marijuana products meant for smoking do contain dangerous carcinogens.
In order to guarantee the security of their building locations, medicinal marijuana treatment centers must:
Make sure there is adequate lighting in the outdoor areas
Not dispense marijuana on its property between the hours of 9 p.m. and 7 a.m., but it is allowed to deliver marijuana to patients 24 hours a day
Make sure there is a waiting area with chairs for both patients and caregivers within the building
Keep a video surveillance system that continuously records throughout the day
Keep a security alarm device that locks all doors and windows around the perimeter
Keep marijuana locked up or in a safe
Notify the local authorities or law enforcement within 24 hours after the treatment center learns of a robbery or marijuana loss
Require all employees to wear identification badges at all times while on the job
Require visitors to always wear visitor badges while on the property
Implement a policy that no one is allowed to use drugs or drink at work
Require that at least two employees must always be on site when marijuana is being processed, stored, or cultivated
Is Cannabis Retail Legal in Manatee County?
Yes. Only authorized medical marijuana treatment centers are permitted to run marijuana dispensaries in the state of Florida and Manatee County. These dispensaries only sell medical marijuana to qualified patients. Low-THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) marijuana, medical marijuana, and marijuana equipment are dispensed by licensed medical marijuana treatment centers.
Before dispensing marijuana, medical marijuana treatment centers are required by Florida Statute 381.986 to show that the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration meets the potency standards for low-THC marijuana and that the label indicating the cannabidiol and THC concentrations should be visible. Every marijuana product and item associated with marijuana must be contaminant-free and suitable for human consumption. The types of medical marijuana sold in Florida are oils, tinctures, concentrates, flowers, topicals, capsules or tablets, and edibles.
According to Florida Statute 381.986, edibles and low-THC marijuana are legal in Manatee County. The Florida Food Safety Act states that medical marijuana treatment centers that create edibles require a food establishment license. No edibles may contain more than 200 mg of tetrahydrocannabinol or more than 10 mg of tetrahydrocannabinol per serving, according to Florida Statute 381.986. The concentration variance in edibles shouldn't be higher than 15%.
In order to verify the type and dosage of medical marijuana that the qualified doctor has prescribed, the medical marijuana treatment center must check the patient's Medical Marijuana Use Registry card. Patients are only sold prescribed medical marijuana dosages and medical marijuana delivery devices.
Is Cannabis Delivery Legal in Manatee County?
Yes. Licensed medical marijuana treatment centers are permitted to transport and distribute marijuana for medical reasons under Florida Statute 381.986. Only patients who are medical marijuana cardholders and their designated caregivers who are in possession of valid medical marijuana cards are eligible for delivery. Delivery is available 24 hours a day.
Moreover, medical marijuana treatment centers are obliged to keep marijuana transportation manifests on any vehicle that carries marijuana in order to ensure the safe delivery of marijuana to qualified patients, marijuana testing facilities, or other medical marijuana treatment centers.
The seed-to-sale tracking system of the treatment center must generate these transportation manifests, which must contain the following information:
Name, license number, and address of the medical marijuana treatment center where the medical marijuana originated
Date and time of departure as scheduled
Estimated time and date of arrival
Name and address of the marijuana recipient
Marijuana or marijuana delivery device given, in what quantity and in what form
Number of the delivery vehicle's license plate, vehicle make, and model
Medical marijuana treatment center staff member's name and signature
How to Get Medical Marijuana Card in Manatee County
To get a Florida medical marijuana card, each patient must reside in Florida, have a certifying medical condition determined by a qualified physician, and be enrolled in the Medical Marijuana Use Registry by a qualified physician with a Medical Marijuana Use Registry Patient ID number.
Applications for new patients must include:
A Florida driver's license copy, a valid ID, or other proof of residency
A $75 application fee that must be paid by check or money order made out to the Florida Department of Health
A full-face, 2x2 inch passport-style photo that was taken no more than ninety days before the application
Minor applications must further contain:
- An application form for a designated caregiver with a Medical Marijuana Use Registry ID card
The qualifying health conditions are:
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Parkinson's disease
Cancer
Positive status for human immunodeficiency virus
Epilepsy
Multiple sclerosis
Crohn's disease
Glaucoma
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome
Posttraumatic stress disorder
Chronic nonmalignant pain
An incurable disease diagnosed by a physician other than the certifying physician who issued the certificate
Diseases of the same type or class as above
To speed up processing, the department advises applicants to finish the application online. When the email has been accepted and registered by a licensed physician, the Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU) will send a notification to the patient. The patients will then be directed to the application by the qualified doctor. While patients wait for their physical card to arrive, eligible patients can place an order at a medical marijuana treatment center (MMTC) using the approval email they get once their application has been granted.
For more details about Florida medical marijuana cards, you may also mail or contact:
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 Manatee County?
According to a Duke University research titled "An Economic Analysis of Marijuana Legalization in Florida," Florida would earn $145.7 million annually in the short term and $285.5 million annually in tax revenue if recreational marijuana was legalized.
Despite the fact that medical marijuana is exempt from taxes under Florida Statute 381.986, gross sales are still subject to a 6% sales tax statewide.
An update released by the Office of Medical Marijuana Use states that authorized medical marijuana treatment centers in Florida sold a total of 243,358,822 milligrams of medical marijuana between July 29 and August 4, 2022.
The Effects of Cannabis Legalization on Crime Rates in Manatee County
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement published an arrest database showing Manatee County had a varying number of drug arrests from 2015 to 2017—from 1,599, 1,776, and 1,685 instances, respectively. Keep in mind that Florida legalized marijuana for medical purposes in 2016.
According to data derived from the same report, the number of DUI cases in Manatee County increased from 462, 586, and 607, respectively, in 2015, 2016, and 2017.
