Conversations on Cannabis | August 16, 2022

Let's Talk About Florida’s Cannabis Laws

The Newest Profession in Cannabis Health Care

How to Get a Florida Medical Marijuana ID Card

Know Your Rights as a Medical Cannabis Patient

Purchasing marijuana as a medical treatment is legal in Florida but marijuana is still illegal under federal law. The overlap between state and federal laws can be tricky and are constantly changing. Do you know your legal rights as a cannabis patient?

Join the next Conversations on Cannabis live virtual forum on August 25, 2022, at noon to hear Florida law enforcement and legal professionals discuss marijuana laws, recent marijuana cases, and what could happen if you break the law.

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Nursing is The Latest Profession in Cannabis Health Care

Editor’s note: This commentary is provided by the Medical Marijuana Education and Research Initiative (MMERI) of Florida A&M University.

The medical cannabis industry is one of the fastest growing in Florida and across the nation. Cannabis nursing is a specialized health care profession emerging within the industry.

Cannabis nurses can provide care, education, assessments, and support for patients that use medical cannabis products. They collaborate closely with physicians who can legally recommend cannabis as medicine.

Dr. Joseph Rosado, one of the first qualified medical marijuana physicians in Florida, says he welcomes the prospect of the cannabis nurse educator profession gaining a place in his line of health care.

Sandra Guynes and Ivory Davis are medical cannabis nurses. Both are registered nurses and well-educated on the human body’s endocannabinoid system and how it reacts to legal cannabis- or CBD-infused medications.

They are also co-founders of Cannabis Nurses of Color, which provides nurses with reliable and evidence-based information on medical cannabis.

The field of cannabis nursing is so new that there is no certification program yet. However, Ms. Guynes says the National Council of State Boards of Nursing has issued guidelines for nurses interested in working with medical marijuana doctors and patients.

Ms. Davis would like to see a standard nursing curriculum cover the endocannabinoid system just as it does the cardiovascular system and have it include education on medical cannabis.

“This is a unique time to shape health care,” she says. “I like to tell people to get active with your nursing organization on the local levels, because this topic is going to eventually come up, and you want to be at the table, especially as an advocate.”

Ms.Guynes says nurses looking to enter the cannabis nursing profession should stick to the guidelines and the laws in their states.

“I always say, follow the guidelines, just like anything else. You always want to stay within your scope and standard of practice. The American Cannabis Nurses Association website has a scope and standard for cannabis nurses. We have all these resources on our Cannabis Nurses of Color website as well,” says Guynes. “Use the guidelines, and also research your state's position on cannabis for your state board of nursing.”

Click here to watch MMERI’s Conversations on Cannabis Virtual Forum on YouTube featuring Dr. Joseph Rosado, Ivory Davis MN, RN, and Sandra Guynes MSN.

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Where Cannabis Legalization Efforts Stand Across The Country

How to Get Medical Marijuana in Florida

Only a qualified physician can recommend medical marijuana in Florida. However, a patient still must get a Medical Marijuana Use Registry Card to obtain the drug from an approved treatment center.

for a Medical Marijuana

The Consequences of Unlawful Marijuana Use in Florida: How to avoid trouble

Marijuana is still illegal under federal law

It’s illegal to share your medical marijuana with others.

Only use medical marijuana at home to avoid legal problems.

Do not smoke or vape medical marijuana in your car; you may give police probable cause if they smell it.

Do not leave the state of Florida or visit any federal property with your medical marijuana.

What People Are Saying About Marijuana

During each Conversations on Cannabis virtual forum, we ask audience members to share their views or experiences.

“Marijuana has played an important role in my spiritual and intellectual development but like everything else must be used wisely and purposefully.” - S.E. in Tamarac, FL

“My MMJ doctor recommended CBD products along with THC products, which helped me stop using pharma pain meds.” - M.S. in Quincy, FL

Test your knowledge

of marijuana here.

How to get a Florida Medical Marijuana ID Card here.

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