iAnthus Capital Holdings (CSE: IAN) (OTCQX: ITHUF) and Liberty Health Sciences (CSE: LHS) (OTCQX: LHSIF) have received approval from the Florida Department of Health to sell whole flower smokable product to its patients in the state, the companies announced in separate statements.
The company will source flower from its 240,000-sq.-ft. cultivation facility in Lake Wales, Florida. iAnthus currently serves Florida’s 246,000 registered patients through delivery and three open dispensaries in West Palm Beach, Brandon, and Lake Worth. The company plans to open 17 additional locations in the state in 2019.
iAnthus owns and operates licensed cannabis cultivation, processing and dispensary facilities throughout the U.S. The company currently has operations in 11 states and operates 21 dispensaries.
Meanwhile, in a separate release, Liberty Health said it is awaiting the department’s approval to provide pre-rolls to patients.
Liberty operates 12 dispensaries across Florida: Dania Beach, Miami, Palm Harbor, St. Petersburg, Tampa (Hyde Park), Winter Haven, Merritt Island, North Miami, Port St. Lucie, Summerfield, Orange Park, and Gainesville.
Liberty said that patients can place an order online that will be ready for in-store pick-up or same-day free delivery.
Florida Removed Ban on Smoking Medical Marijuana
Recently, Florida removed a ban on smoking medical marijuana.
Patients who receive medical marijuana from their doctor will now be able to smoke the substance legally under a bill (SB 182) signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis revoking a ban on smoking medical marijuana.
More than 70% of voters approved a ballot measure in 2016 legalizing marijuana for medical use, but the Florida Legislature passed a bill a year later that banned it in smokable forms. The new law provides patients the ability to access medicine in the form their doctor determines best for them, whether it’s smoking medical marijuana or using other delivery systems.
According to a survey from MJ Freeway and New Frontier Data, flowers are still the most popular way to consume cannabis with minimal processing. States that allow flower in their medical marijuana program see an increase in patients, and as flower is made available, the patient count in Florida is expected to grow more quickly.
By the year 2020, medical marijuana sales in the U.S. is expected to reach between $4.9 and $6.1 billion dollars, according to market and consumer data provider Statista.