Smokable medical marijuana gets the green light from Florida lawmakers

Patients could soon be allowed to smoke medical marijuana — but with pre-rolled joints with filters — under a measure approved by a key state House panel Tuesday.

Committees in the House and Senate both advanced legislation to nix Florida’s ban on smoking medical marijuana, following an ultimatum issued by Gov. Ron DeSantis shortly after the Republican took office last month.

Despite key differences, such as the pre-rolled joint requirement, the House and Senate measures put lawmakers in a position to pass legislation that would likely be palatable to DeSantis by his March 15 deadline.

“We’ll ultimately find a place to land this,” Brandes told The News Service of Florida after the Senate committee meeting. “I think the March 15 deadline no longer seems out of reach.”

DeSantis threatened to drop the state’s appeal of a court decision that found the smoking ban ran afoul of a constitutional amendment that broadly legalized medical marijuana. The governor gave lawmakers until 10 days after the annual legislative session begins on March 5. [Read more at The Orlando Sentinel]