A strain of low-THC marijuana would be legal in Florida for medical use under a bill passed by the Legislature.
The Senate voted 30-9 on Friday for the bill. It would allow doctors to prescribe a strain of marijuana known as "Charlotte's Web" that contains low amounts of the chemical THC, which causes users to feel high.
Charlotte's Web have no more than 0.8 percent THC, the chemical that makes users feel high. On average, marijuana has about 15 percent THC, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The strain has normal levels of cannabidiol, or CBD, which is used to treat seizures.
Also, people would not be able to just walk into a doctor's office and get a prescription. Only doctors who have been providing ongoing treatment of a patient can prescribe it, and only as a last resort if other treatments aren't effective.
The state would also maintain a registry of eligible patients. The marijuana can't be smoked and would be converted into an oil. Only four dispensaries would be allowed in the state and they would be highly regulated.
Gov. Rick Scott said Thursday he will sign the bill, after the House approved it.
Support for the bill, sponsored by Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz, was questionable when it was first filed, but became overwhelming after parents of children suffering from seizures pleaded for help during committee hearings.
"I'm a parent and a grandparent. I want to make sure my children, my grandchildren have access to the health care they want," Scott said.
If Florida approves the use of medical marijuana, it would join 21 other states that have enacted similar laws. The states include Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, DC, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland (Beginning in June), Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. Washington, DC, also legalized marijuana in 2010.
