All Pending Marijuana Legalization Bills In Florida; Summarized

As attorneys who regularly defend individuals accused of drug crimes here in Florida—including marijuana-related crimes—we regularly receive questions about where Florida is in terms of decriminalizing marijuana. There are currently a number of bills pending in the Florida Senate and House that address the legalization of marijuana; below, we summarize each one.

SB 182 & HB 7015

These bills legalize medical marijuana in smokeable form for adults and for minors who are in critical condition and have a referral from a physician and pediatrician.

SB 154 & HB 461

These bills revise a number of definitions, and define new terms as well, including:

• Revising various important definitions of key terms such as “edibles,” “marijuana,”and marijuana delivery device” (amongst others) to include those that are supplied by medical marijuana dispensaries;
• Defining what constitutes a medical cannabis dispensary;
• Revising the phrase“medical use” to include products supplied by medical cannabis dispensaries;
• Adjusting definition so as to authorize qualified patients to receive products from medical cannabis dispensaries based on physician approval;
• Prohibiting caregivers and physicians from profiting from or being employed by medical cannabis dispensaries; and
• Mandating that the medical cannabis registry be available to medical cannabis dispensaries.

SB 1116

This bill revises what is considered to be an appropriate credit unions and/or medical marijuana banks licensed under a very specific marijuana-related banking and credit union law. It also establishes a relevant Advisory Board, which is located in the Florida Office of Financial Regulation.

HB 557 & SB 1328

These bills allow for identification cards issued to qualified caregivers and patients issued out-of-state to have the legal credibility as those published  by the Florida Department of Health.

HB 1117 & SB 1780

These bills are perhaps the most relevant to the decriminalization of marijuana in Florida, as they exempt certain behavior involving cannabis from being classified as possession offenses and authorize adults over the age of 21 to participate in some personal use activities involving cannabis in limited amounts.

SB & HB 1312

These bills are also directly relevant to the decriminalization of marijuana in Florida by reducing criminal penalties for possession or distribution for certain amounts of THC or cannabis concentrate in edibles, products, etc. 

SB 1298

Establishes constitutional rights to cultivate, possesses, and use cannabis. 

Contact Our Florida Drug Crime Defense Attorneys to Find Out More

In Florida, it is still even more serious to be charged with the cultivation of marijuana than the possession of the substance. Still, the state is close to decriminalize certain activities involving marijuana for adults and some minors in critical condition.

If you have been charged with a drug crime in Florida, contact our experienced Orlando criminal defense attorneys at the Baez Law Firm today to find out how we can help.

Resource:

forbes.com/sites/sarabrittanysomerset/2019/03/12/legislation-update-for-all-the-cannabis-bills-pending-in-florida/#2268cc856c3b

https://www.baezlawfirm.com/florida-finally-legalizes-decriminalizes-medical-marijuana/