Cannabis Treatment

Appointments can be scheduled by calling our office during normal business hours at 352-512-9996

For your initial certification appointment, you should arrive 30 minutes early to fill out forms. 

When you arrive, we’ll check your paperwork to ensure it’s filled out completely and everything is in order. If you see another doctor for your condition, we’ll have you complete a medical records form so we can send off for information documenting your condition. Then we’ll accept your payment (our services must be paid prior to them being rendered). 

From there, you’ll be taken to the exam room and either the doctor or a medical assistant will take your vitals. The doctor will then perform a full physical examination and develop a treatment plan based upon the exam and your health history. Once your exam is complete, we’ll schedule a recertification or office appointment before you leave if we qualify you under the Florida law.

Since there is more involved in an initial appointment with our clinic, please allow for 45 minutes to an hour. Should you need a work or school excuse, we can provide one.

Yes. All of our scheduling, digital paperwork, and medical records systems are 100% HIPAA compliant. We will not release any information to anyone without your prior written permission or a subpoena from a court of law.

Yes, in fact we highly recommend you provide us with as much health information from the past 12 months from your primary care physician and/or specialists as you can. We don’t need labs or diagnostic results, only charted records of your diagnosis. You can bring these records with you during your initial appointment, or we’ll have you fill out a medical records release when you come in for your appointment that we will fax to your other doctors. Please do not have records sent prior to your first visit with us.

Due to the fact we have a high volume of patients who are waiting to be seen, should you need to cancel or reschedule your initial appointment, please call at least 24 hours in advance. If you no call/no show, we reserve the right to discharge you as a patient and charge your credit or debit card on file.

Under Florida law patients must be seen at minimum of once every 70 days. For patients who are cannabis inexperienced or are extremely debilitated, the physician has the right and responsibility to see the patient on a more regular basis.

Certification visits, which are required each 210 days (30 weeks), are $275.

Non-certification office visits are $100 each. Additionally active patients may schedule office visits as needed with our office for acute care needs (sinus infections, conventional prescription refills, the flu, etc.).

Because cannabis is still prohibited at a Federal level, we are unable to accept medical insurance. We are, however, a legal medical practice and each patient will be provided with a receipt upon payment they can submit to their insurance companies for reimbursement if allowed.

We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, and cash.

Yes. Free Parking is available in front and around our clinic.

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide refunds for services already rendered.

In 2014, the Florida Legislature passed the Compassionate Use Act which was the first legal medical cannabis program in the state’s history. The original Compassionate Use Act only allowed for low-THC cannabis (Charlotte’s Web strain) to be dispensed and purchased by patients suffering from cancer and epilepsy. 

In 2016, the Legislature passed the Right To Try act which allowed for full potency cannabis to be dispensed to patients suffering from a diagnosed terminal condition. Also in 2016, the Florida Medical Marijuana Legalization Initiative was introduced by citizen referendum and passed with a 71.3% majority on November 8. This language amended the state constitution and mandated an expansion of the state’s medical cannabis program. 

On June 9, 2017, the Florida House of Representatives and Florida Senate passed respective legislation to implement the expanded program by replacing large portions of the existing Compassionate Use Act.

The Florida Department of Health has created a system for issuing and renewing Medical Marijuana Registry identification cards for patients and their caregivers. In combination with the Medical Marijuana Use Registry, identification cards will further allow patients and caregivers to quickly demonstrate that they are registered in the Compassionate Use Registry. 

Florida rule 64-4.011, F.A.C. requires all patients and legal representatives to have a valid Compassionate Use Registry identification card to obtain low-THC cannabis, medical cannabis, or a cannabis delivery device. To apply for a Compassionate Use Registry identification card, a patient must:

Patients and caregivers may apply for a Compassionate Use Registry identification card electronically on the Medical Marijuana Use Registry, or mail a completed application to the Office of Compassionate Use. Applicants must have an email address added to their Patient Profile to submit an electronic application. 

All applications must be submitted to the Office of Compassionate Use, and must include a full-face, passport-type color photograph taken within 90 day, and a registration fee of $75. Compassionate Use Registry identification cards remain active for one year. 

Patients who are minors must designate a legal representative on his or her application, and in the Compassionate Use Registry. Legal representatives must also submit a completed application to the Office of Compassionate Use to obtain a Compassionate Use Registry identification card. 

Once a card application has been approved, the patient and legal representative will receive temporary verification from the Office of Compassionate Use sent to their email. This verification will allow patients the ability to purchase their first order of medical cannabis. Approximately 30 days after the receipt of payment, the Office of Compassionate Use will mail a hard plastic identification card to the patient and/or Legal Representative (caregiver). 

A patient must have an approved card application prior to filling an order at a dispensing organization.

Individuals suffering from chronic and debilitating illnesses are eligible to receive medical cannabis within the state of Florida. 

To begin the process, a patient must have an in-person visit with a Florida physician who is certified in compassionate use. In order to provide certifications to patients, a doctor must have an active, unrestricted medical license and must complete a course issued by the Florida Medical Association. 

Once the physician has examined the patient, he or she can qualify (or “certify”) them to be able to purchase medical marijuana. After a patient is certified by a physician they must complete a medical marijuana ID card application with the Department of Health. When the Department approves the patient’s ID card application, the patient is legally then able to visit any of the state’s dispensaries or call a Medical Marijuana Treatment Center to arrange for delivery. 

The law requires patients to be re-certified each 210 days, and the physician can certify up to a 70-day supply of cannabis at a time at a maximum daily dose that is yet to be determined by the Department of Health.

Yes and no. The state does have specific residency requirements for patients, but the law allows for the certification of “seasonal residents” with debilitating illnesses. As long as you reside within the state of Florida for at least 31 consecutive days each calendar year, you are able to qualify for the program.

When applying for a medical marijuana patient ID card, an adult resident must provide a copy of his or her valid Florida driver license or a copy of a valid Florida identification card. 

For patients under the age of 18, the parent or legal guardian must provide the Department with a certified copy of a birth certificate or a current record of registration from a Florida K-12 school. Additionally, the parent or legal guardian must have a valid Florida driver license or Florida identification card. 

Patients that qualify as “seasonal”, may use two of the following instruments to prove their legal residency status:

Qualifying conditions are specified within the state Constitution and are as follows: 

While ten different debilitating conditions are enumerated within the law, the state Constitution allows physicians the authority to certify patients who are suffering from “medical conditions of the same kind or class” for which the physician believes the benefits to the patient would outweigh the risk. 

Because cannabis has had no instances of fatality, has a small and predictable side effect profile, has very few drug interactions, and has shown promise in the treatment for many different ailments, it is easy for the physician to certify a course of cannabis treatment for a wide variety of illnesses upon examination of the patient and review of the patient’s medical history.

Often times, people suffering from chronic and debilitating illnesses require the assistance of another individual for their healthcare needs. 

With medical cannabis in Florida, patients have the ability to assign a Legal Representative or Caregiver for themselves. 

Under the new law, Caregivers must be at least 21 years of age and (with a few exceptions) can only care for one patient at a time. 

If a Caregiver is the parent or legal guardian of a minor patient or the parent or legal guardian of an adult with an intellectual or developmental disability, or if a patient is a registered Hospice patient, more than one Caregiver may be assigned to a patient. 

Caregivers must also not be a qualified physician or be employed by (or have economic interest in) a medical marijuana treatment center. Caregivers must agree in writing to assist with the qualified patient’s medical use of marijuana, be registered within the Medical Marijuana Use Registry as a caregiver, successfully complete a biannual caregiver certification course, and pass a background check if they’re not a close relative (spouse, parent, sibling, grandparent, child, or grandchild) of the patient. Currently, the state allows up to two caregivers (Legal Representatives) to be assigned to patients within the Registry. Caregivers must apply and be approved for a Medical Marijuana Patient ID Card and must supply proof of Legal Representation status (certified birth certificate for minor children, or power of attorney or health care surrogate documentation. 

Because of the implementation of Florida’s new medical cannabis law, we are unsure when the old requirements will be replaced with the new.

Currently in Florida, there is a vertical integration system in place. This means that the state will grant one license to an organization that allows them to cultivate, process, and dispense cannabis to patients. 

Florida has seven authorized dispensing organizations: CHT Medical (Chestnut Hill Tree Farm), The Green Solution (San Felasco Nurseries), Trulieve (Hackney Nursery), Surterra Therapeutics (Alpha Foliage, Inc.), Modern Health Concepts (Costa Nursery Farms), Knox Medical (Knox Nursery), and GrowHealthy (McCrory’s Sunny Hill Nursery). 

By October 1, 2017, the Department of Health must license 10 more MMTCs.

While the doctor may – at any point – revoke a patient’s certification for cannabis, the Department of Health may suspend or revoke the registration of a qualified patient or caregiver if the qualified patient or caregiver: 

No. There is no reciprocity between states’ medical marijuana programs. Just because you have a license in California, Washington, Michigan, or any other state with a medical marijuana program, doesn’t mean you necessarily qualify in Florida.

No. There are no current provisions in Florida law that allow personal growing of marijuana, even for qualified patients.

Different states have different qualification stipulations but if you’re traveling to a state with a legal medical cannabis program, let us know. We can provide you with a letter of medical necessity signed by your physician that is generally accepted by dispensaries in other states.

No. Currently the state does not allow cannabis to be smoked. Some cultivators do produce and sell flower, but it must be vaped in a device that does not allow for combustion.

While smoking is prohibited, the state of Florida allows whole plant cannabis in the form of oil forms – such as vapor juices, oil suspensions, encapsulations, sublingual tinctures, topicals, and suppositories. Under the law, edibles will be available soon.

Each MMTC (Dispensary) has its own unique product line and pricing structure. Additionally, each Dispensary offers its own discounts and promotions. We advise patients to contact each of the Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers to obtain pricing and availability information.