Advertisement First home delivery of medical-grade marijuana made in Florida Patient suffering from dystonia gets delivery Share Shares Copy Link Copy

The first organization approved to dispense medical-grade marijuana in Florida made its first home delivery Saturday.Kim Rivers, CEO of Trulieve, said her company has delivered low-THC medical cannabis to a patient in Hudson who is suffering from dystonia, a neurological movement disorder marked by chronic muscle spasms and seizures.Download app: iOS | AndroidTrulieve and a dispensing organization for Northwest Florida, Hackney Nursery, was given processing and dispensing authorization from the Department of Health on Tuesday.Trulieve will begin in-store sales Tuesday at a dispensary in Tallahassee.Trulieve will have medical-grade marijuana available in many forms such as a concentrated oil, tincture, gel capsule and vape cartridge.The Legislature approved an extension of the Right to Try, a law that lets patients with terminal conditions like dystonia to buy cannabis with high-THC levels, in March. Rivers said Trulieve expects to be able to sell marijuana with high-THC levels as early as next month.Alpha-Surterra, the dispensing organization for Southwest Florida, completed a harvest of its medical marijuana plants last week and is awaiting dispensing authorization.Marijuana legalization in Florida slowed down by special interest groups & subcommitteesWhile the legalization of marijuana is slowed down by special interest groups and subcommittees, the dispensing and delivery of medical marijuana continues to thrive in Florida because angel investors.Mel Sembler, a St. Petersburg developer, put down another $500,000 toward efforts to win a ballot initiative that would legalize medical marijuana in Florida, the News Service Florida reported July 15.Sembler contributed to the Drug Free Florida Committee on July 6. Before that he also donated $500,000 in May. The committee has $896,000 on hand as of July 8. The majority of its funding for this year came from Sembler, the News Service Florida said. The committee is fighting a proposed constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would legalize medical marijuana for a wide range of patients.A similar ballot initiative failed to pass in 2014. People United for Medical Marijuana, a political committee led the effort to pass the amendment, raising $4,840 from July 2-8, the News Service Florida said. The committee is funded by John Morgan, an Orlando lawyer.By Florida law, marijuana that is allowed to be sold to patients must be low in tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which produces the euphoric state for users, but high in cannabidiol (CBD) which has been effective in preventing seizures.According to a webinar held last month by the Office of Compassionate Use, dispensaries will be available in 18 cities by the time all organizations are running. Dispensing organizations can do mail delivery throughout Florida. While six approved organizations have received cultivation approval, Trulieve is the only organization that was given dispensing authorization.Patients suffering from cancer, epilepsy, chronic seizures and muscle spasms can order medical marijuana through their physician. However, both the patient and physician must be listed in a Florida registry.Mara Gambineri, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health, said only 15 doctors are eligible to dispense marijuana in Florida.Christian Bax, director of the Office of Compassionate Use, said he expected medical marijuana to be available in September at a hearing held by the Florida Senate's Regulated Industries subcommittee.Despite the Legislature giving an approval with limits to medical marijuana in 2014, many people expected it to become available as early as 2015.In November during the general election, voters will decide on a proposed constitutional amendment which would legalize marijuana for medical purposes.Patients can call 1-844-878-5438 to schedule delivery. For further information go to Trulieve’s website, www.Trulieve.com.