Florida medical cannabis patient count reaches 100,000 milestone

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Florida’s rapidly expanding medical marijuana program just hit the 100,000 patient mark, potentially paving the way for state regulators to approve more MMJ businesses.

After voters passed a ballot initiative in 2016 legalizing the sale of medical marijuana, the state medical marijuana regulations were written to add four “contingent licenses” when the patient pool hit 100,000.

Existing license holders were also to be allowed to open five more dispensaries.

But the implementation of the new regulations has not progressed on schedule, so it’s uncertain when those additional licenses and storefronts may be granted.

Here’s what you need to know:

  • At the end of last week, 100,576 Florida patients had registered with the state health department, according to the News Service of Florida.
  • That’s up more than 2,500 in the past week.
  • Of that total number, only 75,208 have been issued ID cards to buy medical cannabis. Some 3,000 applications are being processed.
  • 1,314 doctors are registered to recommend medical marijuana as a treatment.