Florida has not legalized recreational marijuana. The state does allow the use of medical marijuana, as we’ve discussed here before. However, a person must have a qualifying condition and obtain a medical marijuana card. Not everyone can simply walk into a dispensary and purchase products.
In other states, however, that is exactly how it works. A number of states have legalized recreational marijuana, so adults who are at least 21 years old can buy it from licensed dispensaries..
What Floridians sometimes wonder is whether they can legally purchase these products in another state and then drive back to Florida with them.
2 significant issues
There are two primary reasons why you should not do this, even if the initial purchase was legal. The first is that crossing state lines with marijuana products is still a federal offense. If you bought products in Michigan and started driving back to Florida, you would break federal law as soon as you crossed into Ohio or Indiana. If you had a large quantity of products, you could even face accusations of drug trafficking when transporting them across state lines.
Secondly, even if you successfully bring the products into Florida without being stopped, Florida law still applies once you are here. You could face charges for illegal drug possession. Just because you purchased the products legally in another state, that does not mean you are allowed to possess or use them in Florida.
If you do find yourself facing drug charges, with the possibility of fines, incarceration and other penalties, it is important to understand what legal defense options you have.