If the bill that just passed a Florida House committee passes, this is not how you will ingest your medical marijuana. (Thinkstock)

Florida committee decides Amendment 2 doesn’t include smoking, vaping, edibles

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A bill to implement Florida’s medical marijuana constitutional amendment has passed its first committee in the state’s House of Representatives.

The bill (HB 1397) passed the Health Quality Subcommittee on Tuesday. It must go through two more committees before reaching the House floor.

Rep. Ray Rodrigues’ bill would largely keep in place the regulatory structure set up the past three years, including keeping the number of growers at the current number of seven, maintaining a 90-day waiting period before patients can receive cannabis and banning smoking, vaping and edibles.

Supporters of Amendment 2, which was approved by 71 percent of voters last November, say the bill goes against the spirit of the amendment.

The Senate is considering five bills before deciding on a consensus of where to proceed.

The Sun Sentinel reports that the bill sponsor, state Rep. Ray Rodrigues, R-Estero, said he wrote the bill keeping in mind the current federal climate.

“If there’s a robust regulatory scheme, the federal government will not put their resources into enforcing federal law,” Rodrigues said. “I believe this is a measured approach to faithfully implement Amendment 2.”