In 2016, Florida legalized marijuana by a more than 70% majority. In 2017, further legislation was added. Marijuana growing operations are part of Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers. To start a business growing marijuana in Florida, you must also open a nonprofit treatment center.
There aren’t a lot of licenses available for treatment centers in Florida, but the state is in the process of expanding its program. Additional licenses for treatment centers will be awarded every time another 100,000 patients registering. In the meanwhile, interested business owners can learn about starting a marijuana dispensary in Florida in this article.
When was cannabis made legal in Florida
Amendment 2 passed in November of 2016. It further legalized medical cannabis in Florida, approving the use of whole-plant remedies, THC included.
The state already attempted to legalize medical marijuana in 2014, but failed to obtain the necessary number of votes.
However, Amendment 2 only allowed non-THC oils for certain conditions.
With the recent changes, qualifying medical patients to possess, obtain and use strains of medical cannabis that are potent in psychoactive THC.
Currently, marijuana must be obtained from Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers which are also responsible for growing the plant. Regulations say these centers must remain non-profit, but that too could change in the future.
How to open a marijuana growing operation in Florida
Licenses are distributed by the Florida Department of Health.
This agency is responsible for outlining the procedures for Medical Marijuana Treatment Center registration, including the issuance of a license to operate, renewal of a license, and the suspension and revocation of licenses for those that fail to comply with operational standards.
Marijuana growing operations in Florida are classified as “Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers.” These legal entities are authorized to grow, possess, sell, and transport cannabis products.
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Links to consulting companies that can help open a Florida marijuana growing operation
Looking to start a marijuana growing operation in Florida? The consulting companies listed below provide a wide range of services from helping with state licensing requirements and applications to running and stocking your business.
- Florida MJ Growing License
https://www.floridamarijuanagrowinglicense.com/ - Florida Cannabis Coalition
https://floridacannabiscoalition.com/faq/ - Canna Advisors
https://thinkcanna.com/ - DispensaryPermits.com
https://dispensarypermits.com/ - GreenZipp
https://greenzipp.com/pages/states - Medicine Man Technologies
https://www.medicinemantechnologies.com/ - Green Rush Consulting
- Quantum 9 Inc.
https://quantum9.net/portfolio/cannabis-consulting-services// - Comprehensive Cannabis Consulting
https://www.3ccannabis.com/
The news may constantly change, but the definition of good marijuana won’t. Buy marijuana growing supplies in our online store.
FAQ About Growing Weed In Florida
Is recreational marijuana legal in Florida?
As of this date, using marijuana for recreational purposes is still considered illegal in Florida.
Is medical marijuana legal in Florida?
Marijuana use for medical purposes is considered legal, as long as you qualify by having a certain condition that requires smoking medical marijuana as a treatment.
Can I grow my own marijuana in Florida?
If you wish to start a business of growing marijuana in Florida, you have to open a nonprofit center as well.
Grow your own marijuana so you can free yourself from dispensaries! Let our blog help you get started.
What’s your experience in starting a marijuana growing operation in Florida? Please feel free to leave your comments below!
Until next time,
Alice
Our medical dispose allowed to grow indoors or are they outdoors only with light Depp tents? I was told that they have to be outdoor nurseries and that they do not have any indoor Hydroponics farms in Florida
Yes, @Michelle, it is very disappointing. The intent of providing an herbal, home grown, or a low expense, affordable product. They are doing this in most states preserving and adding to the coffers of the wealthy at The expense of people’s health and choices. There are law suits forming all across the country over this as many people think this is unjust, discriminatory, elitism, contrary to best medical practices and the intent and true meaning of the constitution. I totally concure.
well said! I think the “Melvin” completely misconstrued the meaning of your statements as implying it was hard to get mmj in Florida. Just cuz there is only one source of something, doesnt mean you can’t get it…it does, however, restrict access, available product variety, and force us to pay whatever that one (or 5) distributors wants.
@Melvin, just fyi… it takes 6 to 8 weeks to bring a plant to harvest…there is no legal way to get a new or different strain to market as fast as you suggested happened for you. They would have had to have had it in cold storage, had it imported…currently a Federal crime as I understand it, or they lied to you and passed a counterfeit of the strain close enough to what you wanted that it dupe you.
The legislation of rules put in force to grow marijuana is a bunch of bullshit. If you’re sick or ill and needing Cannabis for medical care, and you should be able to grow your own with no issues! The problem is the state can’t wax you for all their tears and bullshit fees that they want to put on prescription medicines that will become so expensive you cannot even afford your own medicine. It’s the doctors that are making out like bandits, getting kickbacks from the Pharmaceutical reps that grease him every time they read prescription for the drugs are selling! Same thing is happening with cannabis now, I can see large grow houses having to pay the exorbitant fees and taxes that they’ll generate but to do the same thing to individuals is bullshit! Where the people should be able to grow our room if we’re capable of doing so, I have sso many medical issues that I have enough for 10 people plus, but in order to get Cannabis I cannot even afford to visit in order to become medically approved. Then on top of that I got a paint top right prices to get the medical marijuana I need! So I’ll just go on my own as I’ve been doing for the past 50 years!!!
More true words were never typed before. Michelle must be a carpenter because she hit the nail on the head.
Actually, Melvin, these are facts & the point Mr. T is trying to make concerns only that there is very little a person can do to start a Med MJ “treatment center” (or MMTC [a dispensary] as they’re known here. Current legislation coupled with Vertical Integration has kept the privateer small batch grower from being able to enter the FL medical MJ market. I’m not 100% sure about the accuracy of my next statement; but I think at least 90% of the existing MMTC(s) in Florida are out of state operations who’ve been afforded the luxury of their license because they are “seed to store” operations. This means they grow it, they package it & they sell it from their dispensary storefronts or via their delivery service. If you want to grow/ distribute in FL this is what you are required to do: have the garden, grow your product & maintain that facility while also stocking, operating & maintaining the storefront & delivery team. There is no “herb courier service”; there’s no chance to sell your “tested-safe” small batch product in a store-front which is not your own; and if you do aspire to owning your own cannabis farm & distribution chain the “seed to store” method is all Florida will currently allow making it a very “monopolized” market. If there was only one company in FL who operated ALL the dispensaries in Florida it would be a TRUE monopoly market but there are like 5 or 10 MMJ companies operating here so the market is not EXACTLY and fully monopolized – but it’s also not far from it. So, yea, Melvin – we’re all happy to see how excited you are to finally be able to get what you need at many places in Florida now! It is surely a very exciting time for Florida’s MMJ market – the cruelty is done in Florida (mostly.) But just don’t forget when you’re buying your meds: you’re not likely to be supporting a local Florida business. Instead, you’re supporting an operation which is much more like a corporation and is probably owned & run by somebody in another state. There were people who capitalized like this after the civil war ended as well – they were called “carpet-baggers” and they were richer northerners who moved south to take advantage of of the war-weakened southerners by selling the southerners the things they needed at ridiculous prices – much the same as the dispensaries do today. Currently in Florida we are paying black-market prices for legal-market products after already paying twice per year for the “license” to purchase those products. It’s an extremely convoluted arena and it’s also far from perfect. But at least we can legally purchase and possess our med here now – yay.
I need to make some money quick to help repair my home I got screwed on buying due to septic drainfield and pool being refurbished.
I am a disabled veteran and am on a license to smoke and suffering from sever PTSD and love to grow plants I have a green thumb and a building in my yard to start out. I need to fill my time so I can enjoy what I love.
These are not facts at all! I know of atleast 15 dispenseries in my city and the 2 neighboring cities next to Me with any and everything you need, I was looking for a particular strain that none of the dispenseries carried I mentioned something to one shop and they called me in like 4-5 days and told me they ordered Some and I could Come and get a free sample or buy the quantity alloted by my doctor. They have low THC and CBD supplies as well as high THC tinctures concentrates flowers edibles drinks vape cartridges hash rosins shatters butters whatever you need. I live in Eastern central Florida on the space coast in Cocoa Beach about 15-20 mins away from Kennedy Space Center.
I am an established scientist in South Fla.
I would like to obtain a “growers License” for seeds only for the industry that comply with State Parameters.
I habe a seed bank ready and Land. Funding would be nice, but i can self Fund, Market and distribute. We would adhere to State THV Guidelines…
Please advise. Ready for a second career…
Best,
Randall Telford
This is disappointing. I’m sure this was voted in so that citizens could grow their own or start a business helping those sick or in pain. Now, the dirty sneaky government has once again brought corporatism into this and destroying thousands of dreams and plans.
The voting Population of florida is 12.5 million people. Which means that If a MMTC License is issued every 100,000 people the cap on these facilities and licenses will be approximately 120 licenses For the for the whole state of Florida. The whole system that revolves around these licenses is a monopoly complete control of the cannabis market in Florida by onl a few people. There is no fair and open market here in florida.