Did you Know ?

There are 941,616  medical cannabis patients as of 9/1/2026 in the state of Florida (3.96% of the population.)

There are 781 Cannabis dispensaries state wide.

Trulieve with  169 locations, 22.1 percent share of statewide footprint is the largest provider of Cannabis in the state of Florida followed by:

MÜV, 85 locations, 11.1 percent share

Curaleaf Florida, 73 locations, 9.5 percent share

Ayr Cannabis Dispensary, 66 locations, 8.6 percent share

Surterra Wellness, 45 locations, 5.9 percent share

All others are considered mid-tier with 35 locations or less

For the week of Sept  18-24 , 149,657.570 ounces of marijuana in a smokable form (flower) were dispensed in the state of Florida.

Lastly , If you are truly interested in owning a cannabis operation in Florida you need to be prepared to lay out some heavy cash. Licenses in Florida are vertical meaning you have to grow - process - package and sell product. Since the push to legalize cannabis in Florida failed to pass this time around many of the current license holders are struggling to compete with the limited audience. Sales of cannabis in Florida was flat year over year. There is a license available as of today (9/23/26) for $4,125,000 and that is just the license to process and sell product , you need to build up the rest.

(does not include any land or buildings).

Early History of Cannabis

Origins: The plant first grew wild on the steppes of Central Asia.

The earliest scientifically verified evidence of cannabis smoking comes from people living in the Pamir Mountains of Central Asia around 500 BCE. 

Central Asian Peoples: Excavations at the Jirzankal Cemetery in western China show that local cultures burned cannabis in wooden braziers during mortuary rituals to inhale the psychoactive THC fumes.

The Scythians: In the 5th century BCE, the ancient Greek historian Herodotus wrote that the Scythians—a group of nomadic Iranian tribes—built small tents and heated cannabis seeds and flowers on hot stones to inhale the vapor for ritual and recreational highs. 

Early Medical Use: Long before smoking it for pleasure, humans cultivated cannabis for fiber and rope. Emperor Shen Nung documented its medical uses in China around 2800 BCE, though this involved herbal preparations rather than smoking. 

Mandatory Cultivation: Jamestown settlers introduced cannabis to North America in the early 1600s. In 1619, the Virginia Assembly passed a law requiring every farmer to grow hemp. Similar mandates were passed in Massachusetts and Connecticut. 

The Pharmacopeia: In 1850, cannabis was officially recognized as a legitimate medical substance and listed in the United States Pharmacopoeia

Throughout the late 19th century, cannabis fluid extracts, tinctures, and "Indian hemp" medicines became incredibly popular. They were sold openly in public pharmacies to treat everything from pain and insomnia to muscle spasms.

It wasn't until the early 20th century that the recreational smoking of cannabis (re-branded as "marijuana") became widespread in the U.S., which ultimately led to the first state-level bans in the 1910s and 1920s.

Controlled Substances Act of 1970: To replace the invalidated 1937 tax act, Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act. It classified cannabis as a Schedule I substance, making its possession, cultivation, and distribution strictly illegal under federal law.

*****HOT OFF THE PRESSES 2026*****

The federal government has reclassified certain marijuana products, specifically FDA-approved marijuana products and state-licensed medical marijuana, to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act. This change acknowledges their medical benefits and allows for increased research, but it does not legalize marijuana at the federal level.

​