ORLANDO, Fla. – More than 600 physicians in Florida along with 32 of them in Orlando are now given the approval to recommend medical marijuana to their patients, but there are still a lot of questions making some hold off until the state rules are clarified.

Javier Perez, a glaucoma specialist in Orlando, has completed his 8-hour licensing course that is required by the state about a month ago. His question now is what is next after he passed.

Voters have approved the constitutional amendment that will allow doctors to recommend full-strength medical marijuana for patients with a variety of ailments such as glaucoma, ALS, HIV, AIDS, Crohn’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and PTSD.

The Legislative session is scheduled to end in June and the lawmakers are considering a few proposals. This includes several proposals that would shorten the 90-day consultation time of the patients and doctors into 45 days.

The Department of Health was given until the middle of July to propose rules that govern the use of cannabis which are set to take effect in the middle of October. This is all under the passed constitutional amendment last year.

The state officials have said that proposals might be revised but this will depend on the legislation.

An administrator at the Central Florida Pain Specialists said that Avinah Bhandary, a physician, passed the test that was required by the state but is still holding off any cannabis recommendations to her patients as long as the medical marijuana is still illegal on the federal level.

Raphael Bones, an internal medicine specialist at his Prixus Medical office in Orlando, said that recommending the right dosage for medical marijuana can be a challenge. He also said that the reason for this is the lack of studies and research because the use of cannabis has been illegal for a long time. He advocates the low initial doses but with small adjustments to add potency. Bones also said that about 20% of his patients are requesting the substance.

Despite the lack of research and uncertainties, this up and coming market of providing a new option for treatments and pain relief has urged about 630 physicians to take the license required by the state.

While the rules in using cannabis for medical treatment are still being hammered out, a lot of patients with or without ailments are now finding their way to hospitals and offices of state-registered doctors who can recommend to them the new medical alternative.