Smokable medical marijuana hits shelves in Central Florida

ORLANDO, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - Derek Thompson passed three $20 bills across the counter at the Curaleaf in Orlando and made history.

On Monday, Curaleaf and one other local dispensary became the first two in the area to get state health department approval to sell the full-flower, smokable form of marijuana.

"I'm excited to see where this will take us,” said Thompson, taking his bag containing two small jars of marijuana flower.

Last week, Governor Ron Desantis signed a law ending the prohibition on that form of medical marijuana and opening the process for dispensaries to get approval to sell.

Adult patients will have to get special approval from a doctor to purchase it. There is a limit on how much can be purchased, and it can only be smoked in a private setting.

Managers at Curaleaf said they had stocked up on the new form for the Monday afternoon release, but expected it to sell fast.

"Oh yeah. People have been waiting for it, questioning about it, since the rumor came about that it would be actually allowed,” said manager Lydea Strickland.

Thompson said he’s not even certain he’ll smoke the flower, just likely using a vaporizer to inhale it.

He said he’s excited to see what benefits the full form will bring. The chronic pain sufferer said he’s seen major results from other forms of the medication so far.

"I was on a bunch of narcotics, even a nasal spray that would cause me to hallucinate,” said Thompson. "It's been wonderful. I'm off everything! I don't even take Excedrin."