Florida legislators approved a bill permitting telehealth appointments for patients seeking medical cannabis certification renewals, which could benefit the state’s legal MMJ market.
In-person visits to qualified physicians would still be required for initial MMJ certifications.
House Bill 387 also included language that “could help Black farmers get valuable medical marijuana licenses after years of delays,” Orlando Weekly reported.
Florida issued its first vertically integrated MMJ license specifically intended for a Black farmer in 2022, a long-awaited move that was subsequently challenged by unsuccessful applicants.
“The bill could lead to the Department of Health issuing additional licenses, based on certain criteria,” Orlando Weekly noted.
Florida had 814,965 active MMJ patients as of May 5, according to the state Office of Medical Marijuana Use.
The agency listed 2,427 physicians qualified to authorize medical cannabis for patients as of that date.
The 2023 MJBiz Factbook projects Florida’s MMJ market could be worth as much as $1.75 billion this year.
