In Florida, patients commonly believe that having a legal medical marijuana card precludes them from also having their concealed weapon license (CWL). At Angelic Lift in Daytona Beach and Jacksonville, FL, we have extensively researched this topic. Here, we present the most accurate information possible so you understand how the state laws intersect.

Medical Marijuana and a Concealed Weapon License

Before we delve much deeper, we want to assure you that in Florida, it is legal to have a CWL and medical marijuana card at the same time. One does not preclude the other, contrary to popular belief.

Nikki Fried, Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services, is in charge of the state department that issues CWLs to residents. Just before she took office in 2019, she stated, “I have both [a concealed weapon license and therapeutic marijuana card]. So I want to make that very clear, that I will not be taking anybody’s concealed weapons permit or not renewing them. I see no conflict between the two.”

As an attorney, Commissioner Fried is well-versed in Florida’s state laws. She holds her bachelor’s, master’s, and Juris Doctor degrees from the University of Florida. Equally important, as a state-elected official, she is sworn to uphold the law.

Florida’s Laws

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into effect bill SB182 in March 2019. This bill allows marijuana to be sold and purchased for medical purposes. Just to be clear, this bill only protects Floridians who have a state-issued medicinal marijuana card.

To determine your eligibility for this card, Florida requires you first receive certification from an authorized medical practitioner – such as our office. This certification basically states that for chronic health reasons, you should have the legal right to use therapeutic marijuana.

Approval Process

Once you have certification, you must complete a state-mandated application that verifies your identity and Florida residency. Upon approval, you will receive an email from the Florida Department of Health that allows you to purchase medication from state-approved dispensaries.

Concealed Weapon or Firearm License

Florida is recognized as a shall-issue state, meaning CWLs are permitted. The issuance and oversight of CWLs are handled by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). It is important to remember this department does not regulate gun purchase or ownership. To meet the criteria for a CWL, applicants must be:

• At least 21 years old
• Members of the military or honorably discharged veterans
• Trained in firearms with course certification

Application Questions

A lot of misunderstanding stems from the Concealed Weapon or Firearm License application itself, as required by the FDACS. This application is not intended to trip people up, but its questions often cause confusion.

Question 14A

Question 14A essentially asks if you have been convicted of or arrested for – in the previous three and five years respectively – controlled substance-related charges. Commissioner Fried recommends that if this does not apply to you, you answer no regardless of your standing as a therapeutic marijuana patient.

This means that if you don’t have a prior drug conviction or arrest in the time specified by the application, you can rightfully answer no to this question and proceed further for your CWL. Your response is not relative to medicinal marijuana.

Question 14B

This question essentially asks if, in the previous three years, you have been convicted of alcohol or drug abuse and/or deemed a habitual offender. This question is based on Section 790.06 of the law governing concealed weapons in Florida.

That law basically states the FDACS will issue a CWL to an applicant who does not “use alcoholic beverages or other substances” in a chronic manner that impairs his or her judgment or faculties. Again, you are to apply the same logic to this question as that of 14A – even if you have a card for medicinal marijuana.

FDACS Views

According to Commissioner Fried, her office views therapeutic marijuana in the same way as any other medicine. Meaning that if you are in compliance with state laws and have not been convicted of habitual drug or alcohol abuse charges in the timeframe specified by the CWL application, you can again answer no to question 14B.

Once you have your CWL, it will not be revoked after you become a therapeutic marijuana patient. In short, Florida’s state laws do not prevent you from having both your legal marijuana card and your CWL – just as Commissioner Fried does.

Purchasing a Gun

This is another area of the law that commonly causes confusion, and with good reason. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives requires transaction records to be completed anytime a firearm is sold, whether from an authorized dealer or in private. On these forms, one of the questions explicitly asks if you use marijuana or other controlled substances.

Attached to this question on every form is a warning in bold font that states, “The use or possession of marijuana remains unlawful under federal law regardless of whether it has been legalized or decriminalized for medicinal or recreational purposes in the state where you reside.”

No State Protection

Essentially, this means that patients in compliance with Florida laws concerning medical marijuana and CWLs cannot lawfully purchase firearms or ammunition. This is based solely on the question and warning provided above.

State and federal rules can and often do differ from each other. Because Florida has the right to regulate residents’ health and safety, it can protect marijuana rights for those who medically need it. But the federal law also remains intact, meaning you can have a concealed weapon license and therapeutic marijuana card but not lawfully purchase firearms.

Here to Help

Our goal is to help you improve your health in the purest, most natural ways possible. If you still have questions about Florida’s laws or would like to obtain your medical marijuana card, call Angelic Lift in Daytona Beach and Jacksonville, FL, today.

We often focus on the exterior signs of aging, but have you stopped to consider how you’re feeling? Are you more tired than usual yet have difficulty sleeping each night? Is your sex drive at an all-time low? Do you feel anxious or depressed for no obvious reason? If you experience any of these symptoms, you could be living with a hormone deficiency caused by the aging process. Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy at Angelic Lift in Daytona Beach, FL, can help regulate hormone levels and restore a healthy balance to your body. 

We’re proud to offer bio-identical hormone replacement therapy as one of our top-quality services. This therapy uses small pellets containing natural hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. The pellets are expertly placed beneath your skin in your hip or buttock, where they release a steady flow of hormones into the bloodstream.

Over time, the pellets dissolve and can be easily replaced to continue your hormone therapy. Treatment is pain-free, requires zero downtime, and can deliver life-changing, long-lasting results as you continue to age gracefully.

What Does It Do? 

Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy helps re-balance your body’s ideal hormone levels during the aging process, which can upset your body’s natural balance as hormone levels rise and fall unpredictably. The end result is typically low hormone levels, which can cause a number of physical, mental, and emotional side effects if left untreated.

Both men and women can benefit from this treatment. For women, estrogen and progesterone hormone pellets can be used to improve the symptoms and impact of menopause. Men can benefit from testosterone pellets after andropause.

While there are gender-specific benefits to the treatment, there are also general health benefits associated with these pellets. Hormone therapy can help manage many side effects of aging and help keep your body and mind healthy for years to come.

What Concerns Can Hormone Deficiency Cause? 

Aging is a natural process, but you don’t need to live with its side effects. Hormone deficiency can cause physical symptoms such as chronic fatigue, sleeping issues, and weight gain, as well as sexual performance and pleasure concerns in both men and women.

It can also lead to brittle bones, thinning hair, and dry, cracked skin. Hormone deficiency can also impact your mood, making you experience dramatic mood swings, anxiety, and depression for no apparent reason. Finally, hormone deficiency can affect your memory and general mental state, often making patients feel like they’re living with “brain fog.”

What Benefits Can Therapy Offer Women? 

In general, women experience hormone level fluctuation during the different stages of menopause: perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. The complete process of menopause can take several years, during which time hormone levels are constantly changing.

Typical side effects of this process include weight gain, hot flashes, mood swings, osteoporosis, and loss of sex drive. To treat hormone deficiency in women, we use estrogen and progesterone pellets. Our patients typically see excellent results from balancing their hormones during these stages.

After hormone therapy, women can expect to feel more alert, awake, and emotionally healthy. They may experience fewer hot flashes, see their skin and hair become healthier, and experience increased libido. In addition, their bones may become stronger and weight loss could become easier. With the side effects of hormone deficiency effectively minimized, women can focus on enjoying the most important things in their lives.

What Benefits Can Therapy Offer Men? 

For men, testosterone levels begin to drop during andropause, which occurs around the age of 50. Hormone deficiency in men is usually less noticeable than in women, but its side effects can be just as concerning. Men can experience chronic fatigue, increased weight gain, memory issues, hair loss, and depression. They can also lose their sex drive and experience erectile dysfunction.

Hormone pellets release testosterone into the bloodstream to balance the body’s hormone levels and reverse some common symptoms of deficiency. Treatment can help men manage their weight, feel more emotionally stable, and sleep better at night. They may also experience less bloating, hair loss, and sweating caused by hormone deficiency. Most men who have hormone therapy report an increase in sex drive and improvement in their sexual performance and enjoyment.

How Does It Compare to Other Hormone Replacement Options? 

In the past, hormone replacement therapy was most often administered with patches and creams applied to the skin or pills taken orally. These methods were generally effective as a hormone delivery system, but they lacked the ability to regulate the flow of hormones into the bloodstream. This created a “rollercoaster” experience for many patients as their system was overwhelmed with hormones before returning to a state of hormone deficiency.

Mood swings and side effects of deficiency often worsened during treatment. In addition, these methods were unable to deliver long-lasting effects. In contrast, hormone pellets are designed to steadily dissolve into your body’s bloodstream, delivering a regulated dose of hormones and allowing your body to restore a true, sustainable balance without dramatic changes in your hormone levels.

Most patients experience results lasting three to five months and need just three easy appointments per year to regulate their hormone levels and address symptoms of deficiency. This treatment is considered to be the most convenient and effective option for most patients who wish to correct a hormone deficiency.

How Soon Will I See Results?

After treatment, you will be able to return to your normal daily activities with zero downtime as your final results become visible. During the recovery period, some patients begin to notice improvements in their symptoms within one to three days. However, it is more normal to see your final results appear one to two weeks after your appointment. Over time and with repeated treatments, concerns such as weight management, hair and skin health, and bone strength can continue to improve.

This treatment works best in cooperation with a generally healthy lifestyle, exercise habits, and diet. For patients who wish to lose weight, we can combine hormone replacement therapy with a personalized weight-loss plan to capitalize on the benefits of this treatment. One of our experienced doctors will give you specific instructions during treatment to ensure that you see the best results possible.

Am I an Ideal Candidate?

If you are a man or woman who may be experiencing symptoms of hormone deficiency, you could be an ideal candidate for this treatment. Thanks to the natural origins of the hormones used during pellet therapy, this treatment is an excellent treatment option for almost every patient.

It is most often pursued by men and women who are over the age of 40 or those who have already gone through andropause or menopause. If you are unsure of whether you are an ideal candidate for this treatment, one of our doctors can help you evaluate your unique situation during an initial consultation.

What Should I Expect?

Consultation

Before your first pellet therapy appointment, you will meet with one of our doctors to determine whether this treatment is right for you. During this initial consultation, your doctor will review your medical history, ask you questions about your specific concerns, and test your current hormone levels.

The results of these tests and your answers to specific questions will help them administer the appropriate hormones during your treatment. If you are a candidate for treatment, you can begin looking forward to your first appointment.

Treatment

To begin, your doctor will clean the target area. This is typically the skin on the hip or buttock and depends on your preference. Next, your doctor will inject a local anesthetic into the skin to keep you comfortable during the pellet insertion. Once your skin is numb, your doctor will begin to insert the pellets.

These pellets are roughly the size of a grain of rice and are inserted under the skin with a long, hollow needle. Thanks to the local anesthetic, this process is completely painless and takes just a few minutes. Your entire appointment should be over in 15-30 minutes.

Recovery

After your appointment, you can expect to return to your normal activities with zero downtime. The recovery process for this treatment is simple for most patients. You should keep the insertion site clean by washing it with soap and water daily.

You should also avoid any strenuous activity or exercise for several days as your skin heals. Depending on your unique situation, your doctor may provide you with additional instructions for your recovery after your treatment is complete.

Results

During the first few days of recovery, you may notice slight improvements in your areas of concern. This can include feeling more alert and experiencing fewer mood swings. Over the next one to two weeks, your concerns should continue to improve. You should notice that your mood, memory, and energy levels increase, along with your sex drive.

Your sexual performance and general enjoyment may also improve as your body’s hormone levels re-balance. Some physical symptoms, such as bone density, hair and skin health, and weight management, may take longer to improve. Your final results should be completely visible within one month of treatment. You may find that it is easier to lose weight and that hormone deficiency-related bloating decreases within this period.

In addition, your overall health may improve as you find that you have more energy to exercise and maintain an active lifestyle. As your mood stabilizes, you should notice that you are able to more fully enjoy your life and spend less time feeling the emotional impacts of hormone deficiency. Overall, you can expect the results of your treatment to have a significant positive impact on your day-to-day life.

Maintenance 

In order to maintain your final results, we recommend a personalized treatment plan for each patient. This plan depends on your initial hormone levels, symptoms, and unique concerns. For many of our patients, we recommend three to four pellet insertion appointments per year.

This keeps your hormones at a healthy level and allows you to enjoy life without the side effects of hormone deficiency. You can discuss your personalized plan with your doctor during your initial consultation. This plan can also be adjusted during your treatment process to meet your changing needs.

Contact Us to Learn More! 

If you’re concerned about the ways hormone deficiency could be impacting your everyday life as you age, don’t wait to find a solution. Let hormone replacement therapy create long-lasting balance in your body, aid your aging process, and restore your overall health with just a few quick, easy appointments each year. To learn more about this revolutionary treatment, contact our team of experts at Angelic Lift in Daytona Beach, FL to schedule an initial consultation today! We look forward to serving you soon!