
MEDICAL
with a euphoric high, are only available legally in Florida
by prescription.
Medical marijuana may be purchased with high
THC content, high CBD or a combination, depending
on needs. Different strains and aromatic oils contained
in marijuana also provide distinctive smells and uses.
Trained staff members at dispensaries help patients
choose products to target specific symptoms.
Dispensaries sell medical marijuana in edibles, topical
salves, patches, concentrates and more.
“I tried a bunch of strains and products,” Yahn says.
“With edibles, I was more sedated than I wanted to be.”
Smokables proved more effective for Yahn, although
he stays away from dried cannabis buds.
“Vape cartridges are less harsh on the lungs and don’t
have that pot smell,” he says. “On days when I’m having
an issue with pain, I can take one hit and get relief.”
Because Colledge needs help sleeping, the edibles suit
her well. After trying gummies, she settled on marijuanainfused
chocolate, eaten an hour or so before bed. Some
patients add dried marijuana to recipes.
While it’s doubtful medical marijuana will ever be
stocked on corner pharmacy shelves, local dispensaries
have sprung up in the space of only a few years to meet
Port St. Lucie’s growing demand. Colledge shops at
Trulieve, what the company calls a “Truliever.” Always
nervous about drugs, she says Trulieve employees
educated her. “It’s handy and has a lot of sales. There’s a
Senior Day, too.”
MORE TO COME
Dispensaries are spaced throughout the city. Trulieve
is on Gatlin Boulevard, while One Plant, Surterra, and
Liberty Health Services are positioned along U.S. 1.
MÜV Dispensary is in St. Lucie West. The number will
likely grow, as indicated by industry trends. Leafly, a
cannabis information company, reports that Florida is the
third-best state when it comes to jobs in the industry, up
a whopping 103% from 2020 — a year that saw high job
losses in many other businesses.
Although medical marijuana is legal here, drug-free
workplaces may fire or refuse to hire on the basis of its
use by employees and applicants. Other inconsistencies
between lawmakers and between states and the federal
government also muddy the waters.
Planning an upcoming trip was more challenging for
Colledge because of her destination.
“TSA agents would probably overlook my edibles at
the airport,” she says, “but I’m going to Texas, where
medical marijuana is illegal.”
With the possibility of a five-year prison sentence, her
legally prescribed chocolate bars will have to wait until
she returns home.
Thirty-five states have legalized medical use for
cannabis, already a $1.2 billion business in Florida and
multiplying locally. With roots — literally — going back
thousands of years, its health benefits are no longer
debatable.
Dispensaries continue to improve and develop their
products to supply a growing demand both here in Port
St. Lucie, and throughout the state.
As Yahn puts it, “I don’t know the science of it all but I
know it works.” E
RUSTY DURHAM
Port St. Lucie’s dispensaries may resemble other medical offices but follow
specific state and city guidelines to ensure safety, security and quality.
MÜV
Only state-authorized medical marijuana treatment centers may grow, process,
transport and dispense cannabis. Growing your own is a felony offense.
MÜV
Cannibis products are available in different strains, strengths and forms. Distillate
syringes such as these make it easier for patients to measure exact doses.
Port St. Lucie Magazine 39