DeSantis Signs Bill Into Law Legalizing Smokable Medical Marijuana

New Florida Governor Ron DeSanits signed his first bill into law on Monday, and it’s a substantial one.

DeSantis signed SB 182, making it legal for patients who are prescribed smokable medical marijuana to obtain it and use it.

Since taking office, DeSantis has pushed for lawmakers to repeal Florida’s ban on smokable medical marijuana.

“Over 70 percent of Florida voters approved medical marijuana in 2016,” said Governor DeSantis in a statement. “I thank my colleagues in the Legislature for working with me to ensure the will of the voters is upheld. Now that we have honored our duty to find a legislative solution, I have honored my commitment and filed a joint motion to dismiss the state’s appeal and to vacate the lower court decision which had held the prior law to be unconstitutional.”

The bill passed on a 101-11 vote last Wednesday and is the first bill to go to the governor’s desk during the 60-day legislative session that began earlier this month.

Voters approved medical marijuana in 2016, but lawmakers banned smokable forms of the plant in a bill signed by then-Gov. Rick Scott in 2017.

The state was sued over the issue, and a judge declared the ban unconstitutional. Scott, now a Republican U.S. senator, appealed the ruling.

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis said in January that the current law doesn’t represent the will of the voters. He said he’d drop the appeal if lawmakers didn’t repeal it.

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Republished by the Law Office of Scott A. Ferris, P.A.