Marijuana Compliance Challenges for Fort Myers Seniors and Veterans

In Fort Myers, the marijuana conversation often starts with a misconception: that Florida is “basically legal now.” It isn’t. Adult-use cannabis remains illegal statewide after Florida’s 2024 legalization measure, Amendment 3, failed to reach the 60% threshold required for passage.

That reality lands hardest on two groups who are among the most likely to seek cannabis for everyday health needs—seniors managing chronic pain, sleep issues, and mobility limitations, and veterans coping with conditions like PTSD. While Florida’s medical program provides a legal pathway, the rules around it can be restrictive in ways that shape daily life, purchasing decisions, and even housing and employment choices.

Learn More: Veteran Cannabis Charities Making a Difference

What the law allows—and what it doesn’t

Florida’s medical marijuana framework is built around a state registry and physician certification. Patients must qualify, obtain a Medical Marijuana Use Registry ID card, and purchase products through licensed Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers (MMTCs). The registry is designed to be accessible to law enforcement for verification, which matters in routine encounters where a patient may need to prove legal authorization.

But the law also draws bright lines. Medical marijuana cannot be smoked in public or in an indoor workplace, and it must generally stay in compliant packaging—restrictions that can complicate real life for older adults who live in shared communities or spend time at public waterfronts and parks in Southwest Florida.

Purchase limits add another layer. Florida caps smokable flower at a 35-day supply, and sets limits for other product forms on a rolling schedule.

Where seniors and veterans feel restricted

For seniors on fixed incomes, the program’s recurring costs can be a barrier: state card fees and physician visits are ongoing realities, even before a patient buys a single product. While the medical system is legal, it is not inexpensive, and discounts or fee reductions are limited.

For veterans, the biggest restriction isn’t always Florida law—it’s federal law. Veterans will not be denied federal VA benefits solely because of marijuana use, and many are encouraged to discuss cannabis use openly with providers. However, VA clinicians generally cannot prescribe cannabis, and federal illegality can still affect firearms ownership, federal employment, and certain housing situations.

And for anyone without a valid medical authorization, the stakes remain high: under Florida law, possession of cannabis can still trigger criminal penalties. In Lee County, pretrial diversion programs exist, but eligibility can be impacted by prior offenses, reinforcing the importance of remaining compliant.

The bottom line in Fort Myers

Do Florida’s current marijuana laws restrict seniors and veterans in Fort Myers? In practice, yes—mostly through costs, public-use bans, strict purchasing rules, and the lingering criminal exposure for anyone outside the medical system. For those who can navigate the program, access exists. For those who can’t, the law still draws a hard line.