How To open A Dispensary In Florida

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Are you interested in learning  how to open a dispensary in Florida? Green Rush Consulting will keep you updated on the latest cannabis information within the state of Florida. Recently Florida’s Department of Health issued two emergency rules on December 19th, 2022, that opens the application process to companies seeking to open a Medical Marijuana Treatment Center in the state. A total of 22 licenses will be issued with the April 2023, application cycle with guidelines already being issued with the before mentioned emergency rules.

 

State law requires that for every 100,000 new patients at the MMJ Patient Registry, Florida’s Department of Health must award one new license within the state. With the backlog of patients in the market they will be required by law to issue 22 new licenses to cover the discrepancy. All companies that are interested in this licensing round will be required to pay a $146,000 non-refundable fee to Florida's Department of Health. 

 

The secondary rule that has been added on December 19th, was an increase in annual renewal prices. This rule raised prices every two years from $60,000 to $1.3 Million. This comes as Governor Ron DeSantis said that marijuana companies were not paying enough to operate in Florida. 

 

Also, earlier in 2022, the Florida Department of Health released a rule setting THC dosage amounts and supply limits on products doctors can order for medical marijuana patients. The emergency rule sets a 70-day total supply limit of 24,500 mg of THC for flower and establishes dosage caps for items such as edibles and tinctures

 

The Florida Department of Health Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU) oversees Florida's medical marijuana program. The OMMU also writes and implements the department's rules for medical marijuana, oversees the statewide Medical Marijuana Use Registry, and licenses Florida businesses to cultivate, process and dispense medical marijuana to qualified patients. You can find the License Application Instructions and Requirements on the OMMU website.

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Available License Types

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Licensed medical marijuana treatment centers (MMTCs) are vertically integrated and are the only businesses in Florida authorized to dispense medical marijuana and low-THC cannabis to qualified patients and caregivers.  

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Licensed medical marijuana treatment centers are authorized to cultivate, process and dispense medical marijuana. There are 28 such licensed locations throughout the state–roughly one for every 100,000 patients, according to Florida’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use. 

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HistorY

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Gov. Rick Scott signed a limited medical marijuana bill into law on June 16, 2014, SB 1030, also known as The Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act. It protects qualifying patients suffering from a very limited amount of disorders from the use and possession of CBD. The law authorized for a limited amount of Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers (MMTCs). The state awarded seven organizations to grow, process and dispense the low-THC marijuana. 

 

In November 2016, Florida passed Amendment, 2 legalizing medical use of marijuana for individuals with debilitating medical conditions as determined by a licensed Florida physician. In June 2017, Gov. Scott signed SB 8A into law, further implementing the medical marijuana program.

 

The bill included 10 new licensed MMTC in the state, in addition to the seven that already existed. It added another four MMTC licenses to be issued for every 100,000 patients added to the state’s medical marijuana registry. Each MMTC is allowed to grow, process, transport and sell medical marijuana. One MMTC license also allows the licensee to establish up to 25 dispensaries.

On March 18, 2019, Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 182 to end the ban on smokable medical marijuana products.

 

On May 1, 2018, over six months after the October 3, 2017 deadline to issue new licenses, the Florida Department of Health filed a Notice of Proposed Rule allowing additional Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers. However, ongoing litigation delayed the state from moving forward. 

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Voters passed a constitutional amendment known as the "Florida Medical Marijuana Legalization Initiative" (Amendment 2) in 2016. The amendment legalized medical marijuana for debilitating diseases or comparable debilitating conditions as determined by a licensed state physician. Amendment 2 went into effect January 3, 2017.