The proposal of a Republican Florida lawmaker who would like to allow medical marijuana patients to grow cannabis themselves at home is not getting much support from his party.
Rep. Joe Gruters said, on a podcast, that “I’m hoping to move the bill,” but his Republican colleagues are not very interested in moving anything related marijuana.
SB 456 would permit state-registered patients of cannabis 21 and over to grow two plants at a time for their personal use, provided that they apply and receive a certificate first from the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Gruters who backed the Amendment 3 adult use legalization ballot measure that failed to pass last year said this campaign “opened me eyes” on the importance of home cultivation.
He said, “I didn’t know homegrow is a huge deal in the world, but it was repeatedly brought to my attention,” on Deeper Dive, a podcast by News Service of Florida. “And I said, ‘You know what? “No matter what the outcome of this battle is. “I’m taking some of these problems and moving it forward.”
According to the proposed legislation, cultivating cannabis would have to be done “out of sight of the public” and in a locked, enclosed space, to keep out unauthorized people and those younger than 21.
Officials from the state would have to develop procedures that “provide for inspection and registration” of cannabis plants, as well as “the renewal, suspension and replacement of existing certifications”.
When renting, tenants would need to submit documentation to prove that their landlord has consented to the cannabis growing on the property.
Gruters, in a podcast interview, compared cannabis home cultivation with home wine-making or beer-brewing.
“Florida, a state of freedom” He said, “I am a believer in freedom.” If you are really interested in doing that, you can do so, but only if you follow the rules and take responsibility.
Kam, Kam the podcast host questioned whether the changes were important.
She told Gruters, “I’m not sure how big a deal it really is.” “I believe there are a subset of pro-marijuana people who have strong feelings about homegrows, and that they speak out loudly. Jane and Joe Lunchbucket? I am not so sure. who shop at the— you know, who are in the medical program, really care about that.”
Kam described Florida’s Medical Marijuana System as a “veiled recreational program at the moment.”
She said, “If you’ve got the money you can buy a card.” Let’s be honest.
Gruters stated that with little support from Republicans, it’s not clear if an independent medical marijuana bill expansion will gain traction among colleagues.
This measure (SB 552) would, amongst other things, add new conditions for eligibility, waive fees to veterans and let doctors make recommendations via telehealth.
Kam said, “I have no idea if this will ever move”.
The host of the podcast then asked Gruters if he was a patient for medical reasons or had ever used marijuana. Have you ever smoked pot in your youth? She asked.
Gruters stated that despite having friends who were marijuana smokers, “I never did it as I wanted to be a politician.”
He said that on his birthday, his wife and he decided to have some infused gums while they were vacationing in Las Vegas.
The lawmaker said, “All I can say is that I felt like everyone was watching me.” “I was very thirsty, and I told my wife, I said, ‘You’ve got to get me back to our hotel room quick!”
Gruters is a former Florida Republican Party chair who appeared with Sen. Shevrin-Jones (D) in an advertisement last year to say that reform was “good” for Florida despite Governor’s strong objections. Ron DeSantis (R).
Gruters and Kim Rivers—the CEO of Trulieve, a medical marijuana company that provided the bulk of funding for Amendment 3—also met with President Donald Trump ahead of his endorsement of the constitutional amendment, as well as federal rescheduling and industry banking access.
The campaign behind the amendment, Smart & Safe Florida, has filed a revised version of the measure in hopes of getting a second shot in 2026.
In the meantime, an earlier poll conducted in this state shows bipartisan support for reform.
A survey by University of North Florida found that 67 per cent of Florida voters are now in favor of legalization. This included 82percent of Democrats, 65percent of independents, and 55percent of Republicans.
A majority of voters did support the Smart & Safe Florida cannabis proposal during last November’s election, but it failed to reach the 60 percent threshold needed to enact a constitutional amendment at the ballot under state law.
The results conflict with another recent poll from the Florida Chamber of Commerce, a proactive opponent of legalization, that found majority support for the reform among likely voter (53 percent) but not enough to be enacted under the 60 percent requirement.
—
MEDCAN24 has been tracking the hundreds of bills relating to cannabis, psychedelics or drug policies that have passed through state legislatures as well as Congress in this past year. Patreon members who pledge at least $25/month gain access to interactive maps, charts, and hearing schedules so that they do not miss anything.
Find out more about our marijuana law tracker. To get access, become a Patreon supporter.
—
Meanwhile, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said last month that the latest version of the legalization initiative is in “big time trouble” with the state Supreme Court, predicting it will be blocked from going before voters next year.
Last year, the governor accurately predicted that the 2024 cannabis measure from the campaign would survive a legal challenge from the state attorney general. The governor’s reasoning for believing that this version will face a completely different outcome is not clear.
Separately, a Florida GOP senator claimed recently that the legalization campaign “tricked” Trump into supporting the 2024 measure by misleading him and the general public about key provisions.
Ahead of the election, Trump said in September that he felt Amendment 3 was “going to be very good” for the state.
While Trump endorsed the Florida cannabis initiative—as well as federal rescheduling and industry banking access—he has since been silent on cannabis issues. His cabinet members have mixed records when it comes to marijuana policy.
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) said in a recent report that it “remains to be seen” how Trump will navigate marijuana policy in his second term, and it’s “unknown” whether the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will finalize a proposed rule to reschedule cannabis.
Trump Says He’s ‘Ready’ To Impose Death Penalty On People Who Sell Illicit Drugs, Calling Policy ‘Very Humane’
Side Pocket Images. Image courtesy Chris Wallis.
MEDCAN24 would not be possible without the support of readers. Please consider making a Patreon monthly pledge if you depend on our cannabis journalism for information.
