By Shawna McDowell
Special to In Motion
Imagine eating edible cannabis candy or vaping medicinal marijuana while attending class.
The June 2017 signing of a bill by Florida Governor Rick Scott qualifying patients to receive medical marijuana makes that daydream a potential reality.
And these patients potentially include more college students now that Florida Amendment 2 added other ailments besides potentially terminal illnesses such as HIV and cancer. A licensed state physician may register patients with debilitating conditions that they deem medical marijuana will benefit enough to offset the potential health risks.
Now, it is up to colleges such as Daytona State to think through and prepare how to manage such issues in the future. Thus far, there is no news of anticipated specialized training or proposals on how to handle it.
Christina de la Osa, a DSC Student Disabilities adviser, thinks it would be treated like any other prescription drug.
“If students come in with a note from a doctor approving the use, then it’s none of our business what the treatment is for.”
It should be noted that these would be handled case-by-case throughout different levels of college campuses. For example, Florida State University has the University Health Services that serves psychiatry, triage, clinical services and more that is not exclusive to enrolled students.
Osa explains, “If we were FSU, who offers medical services to the public then it would be a whole different animal.”
But, she added, if a student was somehow identified using smokeless marijuana vapors on Daytona State campus they would have to present proof that they were registered.
A DSC student can visit The Florida Department of Health website for the Office of Medical Marijuana Use to start the process of registering for legal medical marijuana treatment. The information is processed and stored in a state-run database called Compassionate Use Registry. A state-licensed physician will provide an order of cannabis that can be filled at a dispensary as an oil, edible spray or even pill. There is not a plant-like medication available because smoking the medication is not allowed at the present time.
Tara Fisher, a DSC graduate, uses her Compassionate Use Registry card at a dispensary called Knox in Orlando. In 2015 Fisher was in a severe car accident near her Palm Coast home. As a result, she has chronic neck pain even after extensive physical therapy, which is a qualifying medical condition. She advises that DSC students who carry their identification card to remember the standards they’re expected to withhold.
“It is frowned upon to vape in public even though no one would know,” Fisher says. “Remember that the state is basically being compassionate enough to let you use it.”
There are potential benefits to Florida colleges as well. Forbes magazine reported that states that legalized the use of medical marijuana will generate approximately $655 million in state taxes this year. In 2016, Colorado, which also legalized the use of marijuana recreationally, contributed $16 million to Affordable Housing Grants and Loans from cannabis tax collections. Florida could create similar situations and contribute to the education funding. The sale of medical marijuana is creating jobs and reducing crime as well, according to some experts.
Proponents hope that if the community is properly educated on the matter it may shed light and new perspective on Florida’s protocol when weighing the pros and cons. Potential revenue income from legalization may be impressive enough to tout the benefits of medical marijuana and offset future potential controversies.