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Florida Passes Bill To Repeal Smokable Medical Marijuana Ban

Gov. Ron DeSantis delivers the State of the State address at the House of Representatives on the first day of Florida's legislative session on March 5, 2019. Senators, representatives and his cabinet were present to hear his last speech before they begin the legislative process. (Cat Gloria/ WUFT Capitol)
Gov. Ron DeSantis delivers the State of the State address at the House of Representatives on the first day of Florida's legislative session on March 5, 2019. Senators, representatives and his cabinet were present to hear his last speech before they begin the legislative process. (Cat Gloria/ WUFT Capitol)

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The Florida Legislature is sending Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis a bill to repeal the state’s ban on smokable medical marijuana.

The bill passed on a 101-11 vote on Wednesday and is the first bill to go to the governor’s desk during the 60-day legislative session that began last week.

Voters approved medical marijuana in 2016, but lawmakers banned smokable forms of the plant in a bill signed by then-Gov. Rick Scott in 2017. The state was sued over the issue, and a judge declared the ban unconstitutional. Scott, now a Republican U.S. senator, appealed the ruling.

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis said in January that the current law doesn’t represent the will of the voters. He said he’d drop the appeal if lawmakers didn’t repeal it.

The Associated Press is a wire service to which WUFT News subscribes.