What Florida Law Allows for Medical Marijuana Patients
Florida’s medical marijuana system is governed mainly by Section 381.986, Florida Statutes, and administered by the Florida Department of Health’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU).
To participate legally, a person must be a qualified patient (or caregiver) and be entered into the Medical Marijuana Use Registry by a qualified physician who issues a physician certification. Only after the physician enters the patient into the registry can the patient apply for a Registry Identification Card and purchase products from licensed dispensaries (called Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers, or MMTCs).
Getting a medical marijuana card
Florida allows applications online through the registry or by mail, but the state’s guidance emphasizes that online is typically the quickest route. A standard application includes a $75 state registration fee (separate from doctor visit costs), and cards must be kept current to purchase and possess medical marijuana under the program.
Where products can come from (and what’s not allowed)
Florida law is clear that legal medical marijuana must be obtained through a licensed MMTC—not from informal sources.
Florida’s program is not the same as adult-use legalization: medical marijuana is permitted only when authorized by a qualified physician for qualifying medical conditions under the statute and associated rules.
Purchase limits and “rolling” supply rules
A key feature of Florida’s program is its supply-limit structure, which is designed to cap how much can be dispensed within defined time windows. Under the statute, a qualified physician may not issue a certification for more than three 70-day supply limits of marijuana (non-smokable routes) or more than six 35-day supply limits for marijuana “in a form for smoking.” The department then quantifies these limits through rule using “daily dose” equivalents.
State rule sets the 35-day smokable limit at 2.5 ounces and also establishes THC-based daily/period limits across other routes (such as inhalation, oral, sublingual, edibles, topical, etc.). The rule also describes a process for physicians to request exceptions when medically necessary.
Rules about use in public and certain places
Florida law and state guidance restrict where medical marijuana can be used. For example, the statute and OMMU materials note restrictions involving vehicles and certain workplaces, and they outline that smoking is not allowed in specific contexts (including enclosed indoor workplaces as defined by Florida’s Clean Indoor Air Act).
Practical compliance tips for patients
In practice, Florida patients stay compliant by (1) keeping an active card, (2) ensuring their physician certification is current, (3) tracking dispensations against rolling limits in the registry, and (4) purchasing only from licensed MMTCs. The OMMU’s public resources and registry tools are the best starting point for current requirements, forms, and official updates.