Florida runs a tightly regulated, statewide medical cannabis program, and Miami-Dade follows those state rules with some local siting controls. Patients qualify only after a Florida-licensed “qualified physician” evaluates them for a listed condition, enters the order in the Medical Marijuana Use Registry, and the patient obtains a state ID card. Minors need a caregiver; adults must be Florida residents or seasonal residents. Only licensed Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers (MMTCs) may dispense—there is no legal home-grow.
Purchasing and possession are capped by statute. A dispensary may not provide more than a 70-day supply of non-smokable products within any 70-day period, and no more than one 35-day supply of smokable cannabis (maximum 2.5 ounces) within any 35 days unless a physician exception is approved. Patients may not possess more than the greater of a 70-day supply or 4 ounces of smokable cannabis at any time, and purchases must remain in original packaging.
Where you can—and cannot—use it matters. “Medical use” excludes consumption in public places and on public transportation, and it is also prohibited in vehicles, aircraft, motorboats, schools, correctional facilities, and most workplaces unless an employer allows it. Florida separately bars smoking in enclosed indoor workplaces. Private property use is allowed, subject to landlord or facility rules.
Rules for visitors and part-time residents are strict. Florida does not honor out-of-state medical cards, so a visiting patient cannot buy or possess cannabis under another state’s card. However, the law recognizes “seasonal residents”—people who live in Florida at least 31 consecutive days each year, maintain a temporary address, and are registered to vote or pay income taxes in another state. Seasonal residents can qualify for the registry card with proper proof of Florida address and a physician certification.
Local framework in Miami-Dade adds another layer. Dispensaries here are state-licensed MMTCs that must also comply with county zoning. Miami-Dade’s Code (Article IXA) sets where dispensing facilities are permitted and how they’re regulated, aligning local siting with state preemption that treats dispensaries similarly to pharmacies or allows jurisdictions to ban them outright. For patients, that means you’ll see MMTC storefronts only where county rules allow them to operate.
Driving and air travel require caution. Driving under the influence of cannabis remains illegal in Florida; there is no per-se THC limit, so impairment is judged like any other DUI. Do not consume in a vehicle, and never fly with cannabis—even medical—because airports and aircraft are governed by federal law. TSA may refer suspected violations to law enforcement, and only hemp products within federal limits are permitted.
Other limits also apply. Home cultivation is illegal—only MMTCs may grow and process cannabis. Employers may enforce drug-free workplace policies and need not allow use at work. Florida remains medical-only after voters did not adopt adult-use legalization in November 2024 under the state’s 60% threshold, so the rules above still govern Miami-Dade today.