Medical marijuana near me? Here's where you can find medical marijuana dispensaries in Florida

C. A. Bridges, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida
Updated

Where can you legally buy marijuana in Florida?

Floridians want to know.

Medical marijuana advocate site Leafwell analyzed Google searches to see which state was looking for information on medical marijuana, and people in Florida are intensely interested in the topic.

The number one search: "how to get a medical marijuana card in Florida." Florida ranked 1st with an average monthly search of 231 times per 100,000 residents. The state in second, Arkansas, wasn't even close (an average of 159 per 100,000 residents).

In the single week ending Sept. 7, Florida's dispensaries dispensed 107,000 ounces of smokable marijuana, and 321 million milligrams of THC overall, according to the state's Department of Health, Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU).

Medical marijuana is popular, and "medical marijuana near me" is a common search. Here's where you can find it, if you have a qualified medical condition and a Medical Marijuana ID Card.

Medical marijuana: Who can and can’t get a medical marijuana card in Florida? Here’s everything you need to know

Can I buy medical marijuana anywhere in Florida?

You must purchase medical marijuana at a Medical Marijuana Treatment Center licensed with the state.

What medical marijuana dispensary centers are in Florida?

According to the OMMU there are currently 20 Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers with locations in Florida that are approved to dispense low-THC cannabis and medical marijuana as of Sept. 7:

That's a total of 589 dispensaries in Florida, so far. You can search for licensed dispensaries near you at knowthefactsmmj.com/mmtc/#search

Are there any Planet 13 locations in Florida?

Not yet, but they're on the way.

Las Vegas-based Planet 13 has announced the company is opening four stores in Florida:

The company also previously announced plans for an Orlando location and one in Miami.

However, Planet 13 got a big jump on Florida expansion when it signed a deal to acquire VidaCann, the ninth-largest cannabis dispensary in the state, for $48.9 million in cash, stocks and promissory notes. Closing is expected the first quarter of 2024. That means those 26 VidaCann stores, plus the announced four will make 30 Florida stores.

"We are excited to bring Planet 13's retail and product brands to Florida consumers after the closing of the proposed transaction, especially with the possibility of upcoming adult-use legislation,” Larry Scheffler, co-chief executive officer of Planet 13, said in a news release.

Easing restrictions on marijuana? HHS calls for classifying weed as less dangerous: report

Does medical marijuana bring jobs to Florida?

Florida has the fourth most cannabis jobs among all the states where some form of cannabis is legal — 29,011, as of February 2023 — according to cannabis industry jobs platform Vangst in its 2023 Jobs Report. Among states with medical-use-only restrictions, Florida is #1.

How many people in Florida use medical marijuana?

"Among medical-only states, Florida continued its double-digit growth, adding an astonishing 324,400 medical marijuana patients in 2022 — bringing the state’s registered total to 781,000," according to Vangst's report. "That’s more than the entire population of North Dakota."

As of Sept. 7, that number is now 844,148.

Is recreational marijuana legal in Florida?

No. But there will be a recreational marijuana amendment on the ballot in 2024.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Medical marijuana in Florida: Where to find licensed dispensaries

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