Florida’s 2025 Legislative Session: Marijuana Bills Aim to Expand Medical Program and Regulate Hemp Extracts
As the 2025 Florida legislative session approaches, several bills have been filed that aim to make significant changes to the state’s medical marijuana program. The proposals include expanding the list of eligible medical conditions, allowing patients to grow their own plants, and imposing stricter regulations on hemp extract products.
One bill, SB 142/HB 83, seeks to protect public employees who use medical marijuana as qualified patients from adverse personnel actions. Another bill, SB 146, aims to protect parental rights by prohibiting courts from denying or restricting certain rights based solely on a parent’s status as a medical marijuana user.
SB 226 would prohibit smoking in public places, except for customs smoking rooms at airports. This bill has been introduced several times in previous years, but has yet to pass.
SB 512 would amend the state’s edible marijuana labeling laws to require more information on product labels, including nutrition facts and allergens. SB 546 would allow qualified medical marijuana patients to apply for a certificate to cultivate up to two cannabis plants for personal use.
A major expansion of Florida’s medical marijuana laws is proposed in SB 552/HB 555. The bill would expand the list of eligible medical conditions to include any condition for which a patient has been prescribed an opioid. It would also allow telehealth appointments for initial and renewal examinations, increase the amount of marijuana that can be prescribed for smoking, and allow out-of-state medical marijuana patients to register in Florida.
Another bill, SB 778, would add addiction to or dependence on an opioid drug to the list of qualifying conditions for medical marijuana use.
In addition to these medical marijuana bills, a separate bill, HB 601, would impose stricter regulations on hemp extract products, commonly known as “diet weed.” The bill would establish limits on the concentration of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in these products, ban retail sales to anyone under 21, and prohibit packaging that is attractive to children.
These bills aim to address concerns about the growing popularity of hemp extract products among youth and the potential for these products to be marketed in a way that appeals to children. The bill would also require manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to maintain inventory records for three years after the product is sold or disposed of.
The 2025 Florida legislative session is set to begin on March 4, and these bills are just a few of the many proposals that will be considered.
