Florida

Navigating Florida State Laws:

Patients and Caregivers: Enrolling and Accessing Medical Cannabis

Medical Professionals: Procedures for recommending Medical Cannabis

Policymakers and Advocates: Actions Needed to Improve Laws for Patients

NOTICE: It can be challenging for patients to determine which businesses offering cannabis products are licensed and approved by the state. Review this list of medical cannabis retailers to find out where to purchase regulated cannabis in Florida. 

Traveling? Get more information about traveling in the US here. 

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Background on State Laws

In 2014, Florida enacted SB 1030, which created a registry ID card system, allowing patients with limited qualifying conditions to possess and use only cannabis products rich in CBD and low in THC. Continuous efforts have been made by Florida legislature to improve regulations for patients. Medical cannabis is legal in Florida; however, patients surveyed report limited access due to high prices; they also have concerns regarding the quality of the medicine in Florida and its lack of product variety. Patients and caregivers in Florida may possess up to 4 ounces. Home grow is not allowed in Florida and there is no reciprocity for out of state patients. Details on how these laws apply to patients and medical professionals can be found below.

Here is a breakdown of how Florida fared in ASA’s Annual State of the States Report, which evaluates the effectiveness of each state cannabis program from a patient perspective and assigns a grade using a rubric that reflects the key issues affecting patient access. Medical cannabis laws are constantly changing, ASA’s policy recommendations for Florida can be found below. For policy updates Sign Up here or Take Action!

Patient Rights and Civil Protections	50/100
Arrest Protection 25/25 Affirmative Defense 20/20 Parental Rights Protections 0/20 Employment Protections 0/20 DUI Protections 0/10 Explicit Privacy Standards 5/5
Access to Medicine	65/100
Authorizes Retail Access 10/10 Alternative Accessibility Methods 20/20 - Authorizes Delivery 10/10 - Authorizes Curbside Pickup 10/10 Personal Cultivation 0/15 Collective Gardening 0/5 Sufficient Number of Licensed Retailers 30/30 Reciprocity 5/20
Program Functionality	80/100
Legal Protections Within Reasonable Time Frame 20/20 Reasonable Possession Limits 10/10 Reasonable Purchase Limits 10/10 Telemedicine for Physician Certifications 0/15 Patient and Physician Representation in Program Decision Making 20/20 Reasonable Caregiver Standards 2/5 - Background Checks 2/2 - Number of Caregivers 0/3 Reasonable Physician Standards 5/5 Access to Administration Methods 10/10 - Allows Dried Flower 5/5 - Allows Edibles, Concentrates, and Other Forms 5/5 Provides Access to Minors on School Grounds 3/5
Affordability	30/100
Sales Tax Break for Patients and Caregivers 20/20 Covered by State Insurance or Health Aid 0/20 Reasonable Registration Fees 10/20 Financial Hardship Waivers or Discounts 0/20 Donation Program 0/10 Allows Multi-Year Registrations 0/10
Health and Social Equity	32/100
State Program Protections 10/25 Housing Protections 10/25 Access for Minors 5/10 Access in Underserved Areas 2/10 List of Qualifying Conditions is Exhaustive or All Inclusive 5/10 Allows Patients to Medicate Where they Choose 0/10 Organ Transplants 0/5 Ownership or Employment Restrictions 0/5
Consumer Protection and Product Safety	84/200
Cultivation Operations 12/50 Quality Management Systems 0/10 Staff Training 0/10 Standard Operating Procedures 0/8 - Facility and Equipment Sanitation 0/1 - Workplace Safety 0/1 - Storage 0/1 - Batch and Lot Tracking 0/1 - Security 0/1 - Waste Disposal 0/1 - Water Management 0/1 - Records Management 0/1 Pesticide Usage Limitations 2/2 Environmental Impact Regulations 0/2 Required Testing 7/8 - Cannabinoids 1/1 - Terpenes 0/1 - Microbials 1/1 - Aflatoxins 1/1 - Pesticides 1/1 - Heavy Metals 1/1 - Foreign Matter 1/1 - Moisture Content/ Water Activity 1/1 Packaging and Labeling 1/3 - Cannabinoids 1/1 - Terpenes 0/1 - Pesticides 0/1 Complaints, Adverse Event Reporting, and Recall Protocol 2/7 Manufacturing Operations 17/50 Quality Management Systems 5/10 Staff Training 0/10 Standard Operating Procedures 0/7 - Facility and Equipment Sanitation 0/1 - Workplace Safety 0/1 - Storage 0/1 - Batch and Lot Tracking 0/1 - Security 0/1 - Waste Disposal 0/1 - Records Management 0/1 Environmental Impact Regulations 0/3 Required Testing 8/10 - Cannabinoids 1/1 - Terpenes 0/1 - Microbials 1/1 - Aflatoxins 1/1 - Pesticides 1/1 - Heavy Metals 1/1 - Residual Solvents 1/1 - Homogeneity 0/1 - Foreign Matter 1/1 - Water Activity 1/1 Packaging and Labeling 3/5 - Cannabinoids 1/1 - Terpenes 0/1 - Ingredients 1/1 - Allergens 1/1 - Nutritional Content 0/1 Complaints, Adverse Event Reporting and Recall Protocol 1/5 Dispensary Operations 15/50 Staff Training 5/20 Standard Operating Procedures 0/7 - Facility Sanitation 0/1 - Workplace Safety 0/1 - Storage 0/1 - Batch and Lot Tracking 0/1 - Security 0/1 - Waste Disposal 0/1 - Records Management 0/1 Product Testing 0/10 - Product Meets Requirements Before Sale 0/5 - COA Disclosure 0/5 Complaints, Adverse Event Reporting and Recall Protocol 10/13 Laboratory Operations 40/50 Independent or Third-Party 5/5 Laboratory Sampling 5/5 Method Validation 4/4 Quality Management Systems 5/5 Staff Training 10/20 Standard Operating Procedures 7/7 - Facility and Equipment Sanitation 1/1 - Equipment and Instrument Calibration 1/1 - Workplace Safety 1/1 - Sample Tracking 1/1 - Security 1/1 - Waste Disposal 1/1 - Records Management 1/1 Result Reporting 4/4
Score Penalties	0/100
Gives Regulatory Preference to Adult Use 0/20 Classifies Cannabis as a Medicine of Last Resort 0/15 Administrative or Supply Problems 0/15 Requires Vertical Integration 0/10 Creates New Criminal Penalties for Patients 0/10 Limits Patients to a Single Retailer 0/10 No System for Adding Qualifying Conditions 0/10 Imposes Bans or Limits on THC 0/5 Imposes Bans or Limits on CBD 0/5
Excerpted from ASA's 2022 State of the States Report.