According to the Physician Certification Pattern Review 2023, Florida’s medical cannabis market expanded in the fiscal year 2022, Florida Politics reports. There were 546 million ounces of cannabis sold to 757,600 qualifying patients during that time, representing a patient count increase of 25%.
Florida patients are categorized into the types of cannabis, low-THC, and high-THC, their doctor recommends, and the method of administration, either edible, inhalation, oral, smokable, sublingual, suppository, or topical. Depending on the consumption type, patients are eligible to purchase up to a 35-day or 70-day supply at a time. For low-THC cannabis, including edibles, inhalation, and oral, demand increased by 7%; sublingual increased by 8%; while suppositories and topical increased by 11%, the report says.
High-THC cannabis administered through inhalation and oral increased by 9%, while edibles grew by 10%. Three other categories saw double-digit increases with the sublingual, suppository, and topical coming in at 11%, 13%, and 16%, respectively.
Additionally, the Review found patients ordered 540 million ounces of smokable cannabis last fiscal year with an average purchase size of 2.47 ounces, up from 2.46 ounces in the prior fiscal year. Patients in 18 counties ordered on average the maximum amount of smokable cannabis allowed, 2.5 ounces, the report says.
The Review found that although the number of physicians certified to recommend medical cannabis in Florida fell by 4% to 2,144, the number of physicians who used their certification rose by 4% to 1,725. On average, qualified doctors had 662 medical cannabis patients in their care; however, one doctor issued 32,686 recommendations.
Get daily cannabis business news updates. Subscribe
