Florida residents can finally purchase medical marijuana edibles thanks to new legislation in the state. The Florida Office of Medical Marijuana Use announced in August of 2020 that medical marijuana dispensaries can start to sell medical marijuana edibles in the state.
While you may be celebrating, some things need to be understood about this new option. Here’s what the Florida law about medical marijuana says and all the important information you need to know about how to take advantage of this option.
What Are Medical Marijuana Edibles?
Medical marijuana edibles are a line of THC-infused food products, capsules, and lozenges. They produce long-lasting and safe effects for those who utilize medical marijuana to treat medical conditions. They promote euphoria and relaxation and increase the appetite as they also work to help quell anxiety and fatigue.
Florida Medical Marijuana Edibles Law
Medical marijuana has been legal in the state of Florida for several years, but legalizing edibles was delayed. This was done in order for the OMMU to determine product standards that are safe for medical marijuana users.
The edibles sold in the state of Florida must comply with the statutes that help to ensure safe food production. Plus, each edible is required to have the THC symbol placed prominently on its packaging.
A few other regulations required of medical marijuana edibles under the law include:
- No more than 10 milligrams of THC in a single serving edible
- No more than 200 milligrams of THC in multiple serving edibles
- THC potency total must be printed clearly on the label and it may not vary by more than 15% of the potency from the certificate of analysis
- All edible portions must be stamped with the THC content universal symbol unless the portion size is too small to accommodate it
The law also clarifies that medical marijuana edibles cannot contain color additives that are unnatural. That means only vegetable or fruit colorings may be used.
Medical Marijuana Edibles In Florida: Product Shapes Limited
Out of an abundance of caution for the safety of children, THC-infused edibles must adhere to stringent appearance guidelines. THC gummies can only be in the shape of a diamond, oval, square, parallelogram, rectangle, circle, or triangle. The packaging must also not attract attention, which means no bright, fun packaging can be used. It simply cannot look like candy for children in any way.
Florida MMJ Laws: What Types of Edibles Can Be Purchased in Florida?
Edibles in every category are now regulated in Florida by Standards for Production of Edibles under the OMMU. There are no real surprises here, since companies that produce medical marijuana edibles in Florida can now develop these types of products:
- Chocolates
- Lozenges
- Baked goods
- Gelatins
The only caveat is that chocolate-based edibles cannot contain fruit, marshmallows, caramel, nuts, nougat, honey, or any other type of specialty filling. It can be formulated only with carob, milk, or dark chocolate.
How Edibles Are Different Than Smoking Medical Marijuana
For many who cannot tolerate smoking cannabis, edibles offer a convenient, safe, and easy way to get a dosage of THC to help manage medical conditions. The main way that eating THC differs from smoking it is that it can take a while to feel the effects of an edible. This is due to the fact that the edible must pass through the digestive system and be absorbed, which simply takes longer than taking in through the lungs or skin.
In general, the effects of edibles last for about five to six hours, but this differs from person to person. How much THC you consume has a direct impact on how long the effects last. That’s why it’s always recommended that, if you’re new to edibles, you start slow and work your way up to a dose that works for you. This allows you to avoid uncomfortable effects that are more intense and last longer than you want.
Get Your Florida MMJ Card
To take advantage of the new edibles available in Florida, you need an MMJ card from a qualified and state-certified physician. Aside from having a doctor qualify your medical condition, you must also produce proof of your residency in the state. Then you can enjoy access to many different MMJ products.
Featured image by Herbadea Berlin on Unsplash