Medical Use of Marijuana in Florida: Senate Bill 8A (2017)
This paper examines Florida's Medical Use of Marijuana Senate Bill 8A, enacted on June 23, 2017. It outlines the bill's key provisions, including patient eligibility requirements, physician certification limits, dispensary licensing, and permitted forms of marijuana use. The paper then analyzes three major areas of impact: drug use patterns, health and mental health outcomes (including suicide rates, mood disorders, and risks of excessive use), and economic effects such as housing prices, agricultural workforce growth, and investment potential. Drawing on scholarly and legislative sources, the paper evaluates both the benefits and risks associated with the bill's passage in Florida.
- Overview of Senate Bill 8A: Key provisions, eligibility rules, and dispensary regulations
- Effects on Drug Use: How legalization may influence marijuana and alcohol use
- Health and Suicide Outcomes: Mental health benefits and risks of medical marijuana
- Economic Impacts of Legalization: Housing prices, agriculture, and investment potential
- References: Cited legislative documents and academic sources
✍️ How to write this paper — guide, tools & examples ▾
What makes this paper effective
- Clearly summarizes the legislative provisions of Senate Bill 8A before analyzing its effects, giving readers a solid foundation for the discussion that follows.
- Organizes the impact analysis into three distinct categories—drug use, health outcomes, and economic effects—making the argument easy to follow.
- Presents multiple perspectives on each impact area, acknowledging both supportive evidence and potential risks rather than advocating a single position.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates balanced policy analysis by pairing each potential benefit of medical marijuana legalization with a corresponding risk or counterargument. For example, the discussion of health outcomes notes both the potential to reduce suicide rates and the risk of increased schizophrenia and anxiety with excessive use. This approach reflects scholarly objectivity in evaluating legislative impact.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a legislative overview that explains who qualifies under the bill and how marijuana may be obtained and used. It then moves through three impact subsections—drug use, health and suicides, and economic outcomes—each presenting evidence from cited studies. The paper closes with a reference list drawing on legislative documents, a policy textbook, and an empirical working paper. Total length is concise, appropriate for an undergraduate policy analysis assignment.
Overview of Senate Bill 8A
The use of marijuana for medical purposes was authorized under the Medical Use of Marijuana Senate Bill 8A, enacted on June 23, 2017. Under the bill, marijuana and marijuana delivery devices are exempt from tax when sold, handled, used, or delivered for medical purposes. The bill outlines the conditions a patient must meet to qualify for the use of marijuana or a related delivery device, establishes the basis for marijuana testing laboratories, and creates the Coalition for Medical Marijuana Research and Education. The latter is to be established at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Inc. (Florida Health, 2017).
Patients with a recommendation from a physician may obtain medical cannabis from dispensaries licensed by the state under Senate Bill 8A. Medical practitioners are restricted from issuing certification for marijuana use beyond the set 70-day supply limit. The Health Department is expected to establish a quantified daily dose amount, along with equivalent doses for the various forms of marijuana allowed and provided by a medical marijuana treatment facility. Patients who qualify for medical use of marijuana are restricted from possessing, administering, or using marijuana in smoked form. They are also restricted from using it in any form other than edible form or as flower, unless the flower is contained in a sealed, tamper-proof package for vaping.
Effects on Drug Use
The most notable potential impact of legalizing marijuana is on its usage and on the use of other drugs or alcohol. There is ongoing debate about whether an increase in marijuana use represents a problem or a benefit. Because the broader effects of legalization are largely determined by patterns of use, the critical first step is to determine the extent to which policy influences usage. If the effects on usage are marginal, then it can be inferred that the residual effects of legalizing the drug are likely to be negligible (Dills, Goffard, & Miron, 2016).
Health and Suicide Outcomes
Earlier studies have shown a relationship between a decline in suicide rates and the authorization of medical marijuana use, particularly among populations most prone to marijuana use — specifically males aged 20 to 39. Supporters of medical marijuana legalization argue that the drug can effectively treat bipolar disorder, depression, and a range of mood-related conditions. It is also considered a safer alternative compared to alcohol. Furthermore, marijuana's pain-relief properties may help both patients and practitioners avoid certain painkillers and tranquilizers that carry harmful side effects (Dills et al., 2016).
On the other hand, other studies indicate that excessive marijuana use may increase the likelihood of developing schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. Some research also warns of possible damage to the brain resulting from persistent long-term use, particularly among young people (Dills et al., 2016).
Create your account
Always verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.