Lawmakers in Florida Look to Restrict Certain Cannabis Products Prior to Legalization Vote

Florida is gearing up for the legalization vote of retail sales and also the possession of cannabis for adults. The current law in the Sunshine State prevents adults from “legally possess or purchase cannabis products absent an authorization from a physician”, as mentioned on Norml (1). Coming up on the ballot is a measure that would put the topic of retail sale and possession of cannabis for adults on the November 2024 ballot (1).

Republican lawmakers are now attempting to curate new legislation which would be able to restrict the state’s cannabis market by banning certain cannabis products. The bills that can shake up Florida’s cannabis marketplace are House Bill 1269 and Senate Bill 7050 (1). These bills aim to “prohibit the sale of cannabis flower products containing more than 30 percent THC to adult,” (1). Concentrated products will not go over 60% of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The House Bill 1269 and Senate Bill 7050 have been passed in their respective government establishments.

Advocates for the bills believe that placing bans on cannabis will help “protect consumers’ mental health” (1). A study published in the Addictive Behaviors journal researched a group of consumers using high and low THC potency cannabis and stated (1), “High potency cannabis use, measured as THC concentration in cannabis and high potency cannabis preference were not associated with increased symptoms of psychosis-like symptoms.”

Norml has expressed that through (1), “Prohibiting adults from accessing these products from state-licensed retailers will not eliminate consumers’ demand for them. Rather, it will encourage consumers to seek out higher-THC products in the unregulated market. It will also move the production of these products exclusively underground. This undermines the primary goal of legalization, which is to provide patients with safe, above-ground access to lab-tested products of known purity, potency, and quality.”

If these bills reach eligibility to be on the November 2024 ballot, they will need 60% of voters to support them. Norml (1) has reported that a recent poll performed by the Florida Chamber of Commerce garnered only 57%.

Reference

1. Norml. Florida Lawmakers Attempt to Restrict Adult-Use Products Ahead of Legalization Vote https://norml.org/blog/2024/02/07/florida-lawmakers-advance-bills-to-preemptively-restrict-consumers-choices-ahead-of-legalization-vote/ (accessed Feb 7, 2024).