Orange County to allow medical marijuana dispensaries

ORLANDO, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - Orange County commissioners on Tuesday voted unanimously to allow medical marijuana dispensaries in unincorporated areas of the county. 

The decision overrules the recommendation of the county's Planning and Zoning Commission.  Some communities within the county have banned the dispensaries, including: Winter Park, Winter Garden, and Apopka.   Orlando has approved them. 

More than 70 percent of Florida voters approved medical marijuana in a November 2016 referendum. Florida lawmakers then approved rules giving counties and municipalities the authoritiy to ban the dispensaries, or allow them but regulate them no differently than pharmacies.

The ordinance takes effect on Jan. 1.