A Florida senator introduced a bill to allow medical marijuana patients to grow their own plants—but then quickly withdrew it. The reason? Controversial hemp restrictions buried in the proposal sparked backlash. Now, he’s promising a revised version that sticks to home cultivation without the added baggage.
Medical Marijuana Homegrow Proposal Hits a Roadblock
Sen. Joe Gruters (R) pitched a bill on Monday that would have granted medical marijuana patients the right to cultivate up to two cannabis plants at home. The catch? The bill also contained sweeping restrictions on hemp-derived products, including delta-8 THC, delta-10 THC, and other alternative cannabinoids that have surged in popularity.
That combination of issues made the legislation short-lived. Within hours of filing, Gruters pulled the bill, signaling that he intends to resubmit a revised version. His new plan? Keep the home cultivation provisions but ditch the hemp-related restrictions. When asked when the updated bill might appear, he told Politico: “As soon as it’s ready.”
The Hemp Restrictions That Caused an Uproar
Gruters’ bill, SB 334, wasn’t just about homegrow rights. It also proposed strict limits on hemp products, sparking immediate concern among hemp industry advocates and cannabis consumers alike.
A few key points from the original bill included:
- A ban on various hemp-derived cannabinoids such as THCA, THCV, and THCP.
- A strict cap on delta-9 THC, limiting it to just 2 mg per serving and 20 mg per package.
- A definition change that would have included THCA in total THC content, making some legal hemp products illegal overnight.
This move would have significantly reshaped Florida’s booming hemp market, which has flourished due to gaps in federal law allowing hemp-derived intoxicants to be sold outside of dispensary regulations.
But hemp producers have allies, including Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who vetoed a similar hemp crackdown last year. The governor’s decision was widely seen as an attempt to keep the hemp industry on his side as he opposed Amendment 3, the failed 2024 marijuana legalization measure.
Why Gruters Supports Homegrow
Though Gruters is a Republican, he’s been a vocal supporter of marijuana reform. Last year, he backed Amendment 3, which sought to legalize recreational cannabis in Florida. The measure ultimately failed after receiving just over 57% of the vote—short of the 60% needed to pass.
Gruters’ homegrow bill appeared to be an attempt to address one of Amendment 3’s biggest criticisms: the lack of home cultivation rights. Opponents had argued that without homegrow, the measure would have cemented a monopoly for large cannabis corporations like Trulieve, which bankrolled the campaign.
The issue became so heated that the Florida Republican Party even sent out mailers calling Amendment 3 a “power grab by mega marijuana corporations.”
Gruters himself has deep ties to the industry. Before Trump endorsed Amendment 3 last year, Gruters and Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers reportedly met with him to discuss the proposal, as well as broader cannabis issues like federal rescheduling and industry banking reforms.
What’s Next for Florida’s Marijuana Laws?
With homegrow back on the table, the question now is what the revised bill will look like. Will it simply reintroduce patient cultivation rights? Or could it contain other tweaks from the original SB 334, such as defining THC potency calculations differently?
Meanwhile, other cannabis-related bills are also making their way through the Florida legislature. These include:
- A proposal to protect medical marijuana patients from discrimination in state government jobs.
- A measure preventing courts from using cannabis use against parents in custody cases.
As for full legalization? Smart & Safe Florida, the group behind Amendment 3, has already filed a new version of the initiative for 2026, hoping to take another shot at the ballot box.
With medical marijuana homegrow back in play and a fresh push for full legalization on the horizon, Florida’s cannabis laws could look very different in the next few years.