TALLAHASSEE – The Florida House repealed the state’s ban on smokable medical marijuana on Wednesday, meeting Gov. Ron DeSantis’ demand that lawmakers do so and handing the governor the first legislative victory of his 3-month-old administration.

The bill (SB 182) passed by a 101-11 vote. It passed the Senate last week 38-0.

"This is a difficult issue, and you're going to have people on both sides; some that are happy that now this is available to them and others that feel that we didn't go far enough," House Speaker Jose Oliva said after the vote. "We did the best that we could do and still remain responsible."

In addition to the smoking ban repeal, the bill allows doctors to order a 210-day supply of medical marijuana for patients, up from the current 70-day supply limit, requires doctors to submit patient data for research into the effects of smoking and requires patients under the age of 18 to have a terminal condition and get a second opinion from a pediatrician before receiving the drug.

It’s the first bill of the 2019 legislative session that will head to DeSantis’ desk.

DeSantis asked lawmakers to repeal the smokable ban at a February press conference in Winter Park, flanked by Orlando attorney John Morgan, who bankrolled the 2016 ballot measure approved by 72 percent of voters to legalize medical marijuana.

Morgan brought a lawsuit in 2017 after the Legislature passed a law that implemented the constitutional amendment but banned smoking, something Morgan said went against the intent of the amendment. A trial court agreed, but the Gov. Rick Scott administration appealed.

DeSantis said he’d drop the appeal if lawmakers didn’t act. His office did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday, but he applauded the Legislature on Twitter.

“I thank the Florida Legislature for taking action on medical marijuana and upholding the will of the voters,” DeSantis posted.

Rep. Ray Rodrigues, R-Estero, defended the 2017 law but warned the regulations put in place would be removed by the courts if they failed to pass the bill. But he also cautioned doctors licensed to order medical marijuana not to liberally hand out the drug, which is still classified as a Schedule II illegal substance under federal law.

“What I would say to the medical community is that it is incumbent upon them to do their jobs to treat this as medicine,” Rodrigues said. “The last thing we want to see is the pill mill crisis that occurred with opioids to occurring in this state with medical marijuana. So we’ll be watching.”

Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, who advocated for a repeal of the smoking ban, praised the vote in a news release.

"Today's action to finally allow smokable medical marijuana brings four words to the lips of people across our state: It's about damn time," said Fried, a Democrat. "It's long past due that the State of Florida honored the will of the people and allowed doctors to determine their patient's course of treatment."

But even after DeSantis signs the bill, the issue isn’t likely to go away.

Critics have slammed Scott for slow-walking medical marijuana and have said the current regulations make it too expensive and cumbersome for patients, pushing them to the black market.

“I’m very frustrated,” Rodrigues told reporters after the vote. “I don’t think the Scott administration made a good faith effort to implement the (2017) bill as we passed it. I think the fact that we’re not moving with alacrity is what’s created demand from the public that more be done, and I think had the bill actually been implemented more patients would have access to products sooner.”

Rodrigues added that he thinks the DeSantis administration will move quickly on the latest measure, which becomes effective when he signs the bill.

Under questions from Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando, Rodrigues said the House could take up legislation later in the session to address affordability of the drug and said law enforcement officers should have training to spot the difference between medical marijuana and black market marijuana, so that legitimate patients aren’t arrested.

Medical marijuana packages are supposed to be standardized, within a “sealed plain opaque white receptacle with a legible and prominent warning to keep it away from children and a warning that states: Marijuana smoke contains carcinogens and may negatively affect health,” Rodrigues said.

He added that police officers would have real-time access to the medical marijuana registry that lists authorized patients and would treat the drug like any other prescription medication during a traffic stop.

“My hope is that with the legislation that law enforcement will train themselves,” Smith replied. “Because even the wrapped product, the wrapped whole flower product can leave a scent behind in the car which can leave a scent mistaken as smoked medical cannabis.”

Smith has filed a bill (HB 1117) to legalize recreational marijuana, but it hasn’t received a hearing this year.

grohrer@orlandosentinel.com or (850) 222-5564