Much of the United States has begun to adopt recreational marijuana laws. People in Colorado, Michigan, Illinois and many other states are allowed to legally buy marijuana for recreational use. They do it in a similar manner to buying alcohol, at control dispensaries.
In Florida, however, marijuana remains illegal. Even having as little as 20 grams or less could lead to a fine of $1,000 and a year in jail, and it’s a misdemeanor. The penalties only get harsher from there.
One problem that this can create is that people in other states are beginning to think of marijuana differently than they would have even ten years ago. They do think of it more like alcohol, and less like an illegal drug. This can be hard to wrap your head around in Florida, where it’s always been illegal, but this is the viewpoint that people have in other states.
Florida is one of the top vacation destinations in the U.S. Those who are coming there from other states need to know that they cannot bring marijuana under any circumstances.
But what if you bought it legally?
It does not matter if you bought it legally in your home state. You may have followed all the laws there, but that simply means that you can have it in that state. Once you enter Florida, even if you made a legal purchase, you are subject to Florida’s laws. This means you could still be arrested for illegal marijuana possession.
You should never cross state lines
Another thing to consider is that crossing state lines with marijuana is always illegal. Marijuana is still federally banned, even when the states have changed their laws. In fact, this even means that it’s illegal to leave one state where they have recreational marijuana laws and enter another state with the same laws. Even though both states would allow for recreational use, crossing that state line makes this a federal crime.
What if you’re facing charges?
If you do make a mistake or forget that the laws are different in Florida and you’re facing charges, it is important to take them seriously and to understand all of the legal defense options you have.
