An effort to put a cannabis legalization measure on Florida’s 2024 ballot is already underway. However, given the restrictive nature of this legalization measure – it does not do enough to fairly grow the industry – many cannabis advocates, including myself and Surterra management, are shifting our energy to lobbying for the right of Floridians to grow their cannabis at home. . We’re calling on Florida’s legislative leaders to pass a measure allowing for house growth during their next legislative session, which begins in April.
There have been many debates over whether patients should be allowed to grow medicinal cannabis in the privacy of their homes. When the industry was in its infancy, Surterra’s initial position was that growing from home could undermine the legal cannabis market. Yet, over the past two years, we have learned that the data does not support this argument. Additionally, the benefits of home cultivation – including improved health, decriminalization, and access – are key markers for a healthy population and a healthy cannabis industry.
One of the main arguments in favor of growing from home is that it is an essential part of a robust market with clear benefits for patients, including reduced patient costs and improved access.
In some areas of the state, patients have to drive over an hour each way to the nearest medical cannabis dispensary. It is simply unacceptable. Allowing patients to grow their own medicine would help ease that burden, especially during rising fuel prices. Additionally, the savings that patients could realize by growing their own medicine cannot be underestimated.
Legalizing house growth is also another step toward criminal justice reform. For decades, communities of color have been disproportionately impacted by cannabis bans and the war on drugs. No one should risk jail time for growing a plant. Still, it’s illegal to grow weed at home in Florida, and you can be arrested for growing just one plant.
Home cultivation policies have already been implemented in most states where cannabis is legal for recreational use and in medical-only states. Allowing home cultivation in Florida would put us in line with states like Utah, Arizona and Missouri, which allow their patients to grow a limited number of plants for personal use.
To be clear, home cultivation and grow houses are two different things. Florida’s home grow initiative will likely place limits on the number of plants an adult grows at one time and the amount (by weight) of cannabis they can possess from what they have grown at home. This important caveat will ensure that grow houses remain illegal in the state. Surterra supports this initiative because we recognize a patient’s right to grow their own medicine for personal use, and it protects against sophisticated home cultivation operations designed to circumvent the law.
Even though it’s called a weed, growing cannabis takes patience, dedication and skill – it’s not easy. We would appreciate if our patients had the opportunity to understand the work involved in growing top quality cannabis with consistent quality. Plus, growing cannabis at home is a legitimate hobby, like micro-brewing beer or harvesting vegetables from your garden. And if the past two years have taught us anything, having a relaxing hobby isn’t a bad thing. Not to mention that some of the best innovations have come from the hobbyists. We should encourage the next generation of great growers in the Sunshine State.
Surterra is committed to connecting business and social responsibility in the cannabis industry and building a more inclusive and equitable industry. We look forward to working alongside Florida cannabis advocates to ensure patients and innovators have the right to grow their own medicine and take control of their well-being.
Lynnette French is the Chief Operating Officer of Parallel, one of the largest privately owned and vertically integrated multi-state cannabis operators in the United States. Surterra Wellness, a retail brand of Parallel, operates 45 medical marijuana treatment centers across the state of Florida, including Tallahassee.
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