Another cannabis dispensary is opening on Nine Mile Road at the former home of Wingz2Go, marking the sixth dispensary on the major road.
Curaleaf is the latest medical marijuana vendor to join Nine Mile Road, but they haven’t opened up just yet. Curaleaf has one operating store in Escambia County at 5090 N. Ninth Ave. and its new store will open at 2 E. Nine Mile Road once its owners are done repurposing the building.
The other five dispensaries on Nine Mile Road are AYR Cannabis Dispensary, Fluent Cannabis, Green Dragon Cannabis, Sunnyside Medical Cannabis Dispensary and Trulieve.
As the cannabis industry has spread across Florida, which currently has 656 dispensaries in the state, Pensacola has also grown to almost two dozen dispensaries since its first one opened in 2017 .
Last year, the News Journal reported that there are 19 dispensaries around Pensacola but one of those stores, MedMen on Bayou Boulevard, has closed down since.
The incoming Curaleaf location on Nine Mile Road will bring Escambia County’s total dispensary count back up to 19.
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24 states in the nation, two territories and the District of Columbia have adopted laws which fully legalize small amounts of cannabis for adult recreational use, a group that Florida and five other states could join with upcoming votes on legalization amendments.
If Amendment 3 is passed in Florida, it would allow adults 21 years old and older to possess, purchase and use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for non-medical personal consumption via smoking, ingestion or otherwise. Individuals would be allowed to possess up to 3 ounces of marijuana and up to 5 grams of concentrate.
The law would also authorize existing Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers, or dispensaries, to sell marijuana to adults for personal use.
If it's passed, our area could see a lot more dispensaries popping up quickly.
Trulieve is one of Florida’s dominant cannabis retailers and has had a dispensary open on East Nine Mile Road for years.
A Trulieve spokesperson, Steve Vancore, told the News Journal through email that if the proposed amendment is approved by voters then they plan to adjust their statewide operations accordingly for demand.
“If the YesOn3 campaign to legalize adult use in Florida this November is successful our focus will be to maintain access to products and high service levels for medical patients while preparing our existing locations to serve adult use customers,” Vancor said. “We may choose to open additional locations depending on market conditions, implementing language by Florida lawmakers, expectations for demand, and other factors that are unknowable at this time.”
While marijuana remains a controlled substance at the federal level, Florida is currently one of 21 states adopting laws somewhat permitting the use of cannabis within the state.
Florida's cannabis laws allow for qualified patients to purchase up to 2.5 ounces of the plant within a 35-day timeframe unless an exception is approved by the state’s Department of Health Office of Medical Marijuana Use.
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Prior to former Gov. Rick Scott's signing of the "Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act" in 2014, which permitted ill patients with certain medical conditions to utilize marijuana with low levels of THC for relief, it was completely outlawed in Florida.
Scott's actions opened the door for future effort at legislation legalizing cannabis, such as 2015's "Right to Try Act" that attempted to expand the qualifying conditions under Scott's Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act and SB 182 that repeals the state's ban on smoking cannabis for patients, which Gov. DeSantis signed in 2019.
In 2016, Florida citizens voted on and passed an amendment to the state Constitution which legalized the sale of stronger medical marijuana products for patients.
Where are Pensacola’s medical marijuana dispensaries?
The Pensacola area has several dispensaries for medical marijuana open and running:
Fluent
- 500 E. Chase St.
- 301 E. Nine Mile Road
Trulieve
- 3119 N. Davis Highway
- 1901 E. Nine Mile Road
Curaleaf
- 5090 N. Ninth Ave.
- 2 E. Nine Mile Road - coming soon
MÜV Dispensary
Green Dragon Cannabis
- 920 N. Navy Blvd.
- 701 E. Nine Mile Road
Surterra
Sunnyside Medical Cannabis Dispensary
- 3900 Ninth Ave.
- 2122 W. Nine Mile Road
AYR Cannabis Dispensary
- 7152 N. Davis Highway
- 2146 W. Nine Mile Road
Sunburn Cannabis
One Life One Plant
- 116 E. Gonzalez St., Unit 2
Vidacann
- 2401 Langley Ave., Unit A
GrowHealthy
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Medical marijuana biz booming on Nine Mile; adult use could take industry even higher
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