Longwood council unanimously approves medical marijuana dispensary regulations

LONGWOOD, Fla. — The Longwood City Council voted unanimously Monday to approve regulations for medical marijuana dispensaries in the city.

Proponents of the move said medical marijuana would give them options that didn’t include pain medication in a bottle.

“I don’t have to take something that’s going to make me feel tired in 30 minutes when I need it right now,” said resident Kelly Judkins, who suffers from chronic pain. “I was ejected from an F-350 at the age of 27. (I) went through 10 years of reconstructive surgery on my shoulder and my face.”

The city’s regulations would require a dispensary be more than 300 feet away from any school, day care and residential neighborhoods.

Orlando could be the next city in Florida to approve regulations for medical marijuana dispensaries as soon as June.

The city has already approved Knox Medical to dispense “Charlotte’s Web,” a low-THC strain of marijuana.

In the meantime, the Florida Legislature was still working to hammer out statewide regulations following a referendum on medical marijuana that received 70 percent approval from voters.

Longwood will only allow two dispensaries to open inside city limits and would require a $500 application fee and, if approved, a $250 administrative fee.

Cox Media Group