Florida medical marijuana reform

Florida Medical Marijuana Reform Stalls in 2025 Session, Despite Unanimous Support for Veteran Fee Waiver

Despite growing public support for cannabis reform, Florida lawmakers have once again delayed progress on expanding the state’s medical marijuana program. Several bills aimed at improving patient access and protections—including a widely backed proposal to waive ID card fees for military veterans—were withdrawn or indefinitely postponed in the final weeks of the 2025 legislative session.

HB 555: A Missed Opportunity to Support Veterans and Streamline Access

One of the most notable cannabis-related bills, HB 555, was introduced by Rep. Alex Andrade (R) and quickly gained momentum. The original version of the bill proposed several major updates to Florida’s medical marijuana framework, including home cultivation, reciprocity for out-of-state patients, and extended ID card validity.

However, the bill was later revised significantly by a House committee, reducing it to two core provisions:

  1. Extending the renewal period for medical marijuana ID cards from one year to two years, and
  2. Waiving the $75 registration and renewal fee for veterans who qualify as medical marijuana patients.

Despite the scaled-down version, HB 555 passed the Florida House of Representatives unanimously, with a 110–0 vote—a rare bipartisan achievement in today’s political climate. The move was celebrated by patient advocates, especially those focused on expanding access for veterans suffering from PTSD, chronic pain, and other service-related conditions.

Yet the bill hit a wall in the Senate. On May 3, the Senate moved to indefinitely postpone and withdraw the measure from consideration—without holding a vote.

Legislative Session Extended, But Cannabis Bills Unlikely to Resurface

Although the legislative session has been extended into early June, the focus has shifted largely to finalizing the state budget. Lawmakers are not expected to revisit cannabis-related legislation during this extension, effectively tabling the issue until 2026.

This development was met with disappointment by patient advocates and policy groups, who saw 2025 as a critical year for progress.

“It has been a dismal session for cannabis policy reform in Florida,” said Kevin Caldwell, Southeast legislative manager at the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP). “There were a plethora of good cannabis policies submitted for debate, but the legislature simply doesn’t want to even talk about cannabis policy.”

More Cannabis Reform Bills Withdrawn in Florida

HB 555 wasn’t the only cannabis-related bill to be shelved this year. A range of additional proposals—many of which aimed to expand patient rights and program access—were similarly abandoned. These include:

  • HB 83 (Rep. Mitch Rosenwald, D): Would have prohibited public employers from discriminating against qualified medical marijuana patients in hiring and employment decisions. Its Senate companion, SB 142 (Sen. Tina Polsky, D), was also withdrawn.
  • SB 146 (Sen. Tina Polsky, D): Aimed to protect the parental rights of medical cannabis users, preventing courts from assuming neglect or endangerment based solely on cannabis patient status.
  • SB 546 (Sen. Joe Gruters, R): Would have allowed state-certified patients to cultivate up to two cannabis plants per household for personal use.
  • SB 552 (Sen. Joe Gruters, R): Proposed adding any condition for which a patient had been prescribed an opioid to the list of qualifying conditions for medical cannabis. It also sought to establish reciprocity for out-of-state patients.
  • SB 778 (Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D): Would have explicitly included opioid dependence as a qualifying condition for medical marijuana treatment.

All of these bills were withdrawn or postponed without floor votes, signaling a clear lack of political will to advance even modest cannabis reforms in Florida.

What the Stalled Bills Could Have Meant for Florida Patients

If passed, these proposals could have had significant effects on the lives of medical marijuana patients across the state. Expanding the list of qualifying conditions would open access to more individuals suffering from chronic conditions not currently covered under state law. Allowing home cultivation could reduce reliance on dispensaries and lower treatment costs for patients who prefer to grow their own medicine.

Most importantly, waiving fees for veterans would have sent a powerful message of support to those who have served, especially considering that many suffer from qualifying conditions such as PTSD, chronic pain, and anxiety.

Veteran advocacy groups have long called for these kinds of measures. For many vets, medical marijuana offers a safer, non-addictive alternative to opioids and other pharmaceuticals.

Ballot Initiatives Face New Barriers as Legislative Routes Close

As legislative efforts stall, cannabis advocates may once again turn to citizen-led ballot initiatives as a path forward. However, this route is also becoming more difficult. In 2025, Governor Ron DeSantis signed a controversial measure tightening the rules for ballot initiatives in Florida.

The new law requires initiative backers to:

  • Post a $1 million bond before collecting signatures
  • Use only in-state, Florida-based petition gatherers
  • Collect signatures within a shorter time frame, reducing the window for campaign efforts

These changes are widely seen as attempts to suppress grassroots movements, including those related to marijuana legalization and criminal justice reform. Critics argue that the rules could stifle public engagement and make it nearly impossible to bring citizen-supported measures—such as adult-use cannabis legalization—to a vote.

What’s Next for Medical Marijuana in Florida?

For now, Florida’s medical marijuana program remains largely unchanged, with tight restrictions on qualifying conditions, no home cultivation rights, and recurring costs for patients, including veterans. While the program has grown steadily in recent years, advocates argue it still lags behind many other medical marijuana states in terms of patient access, affordability, and legal protections.

Looking ahead, activists and patient groups are expected to regroup and strategize ahead of the 2026 session or potentially launch a fresh 2026 ballot initiative to put cannabis reform directly in voters’ hands.