CS/CS/HB 1397 - Medical Use of Marijuana Summary

• Establishes a comprehensive regulatory framework for medical marijuana in Florida, including creation of a medical marijuana use registry, qualified patient and caregiver certification, and physician requirements.

• Requires the Department of Health to license medical marijuana treatment centers and testing laboratories, with specific operational standards, security requirements, and seed-to-sale tracking systems.

• Defines 13 qualifying medical conditions (cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, PTSD, ALS, Crohn's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and others) for patient eligibility, with provisions for terminal conditions and chronic nonmalignant pain.

• Implements public education campaigns on cannabis and marijuana legal parameters, health effects, safe use, and impaired driving prevention, with annual evaluations and reporting to state leadership.

• Appropriates approximately $19.2 million in funding for 2017-2018 fiscal year to establish Department of Health operations, testing laboratories, patient registries, and education campaigns related to medical marijuana.