Florida medical cannabis patients just received some incredible news — and Suncoast NORML is proud to break it. This week, Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith filed SB 776 , a bill that would finally grant qualified medical marijuana patients the right to legally grow their own cannabis at home . After years of advocacy, countless stories from patients struggling with affordability and access, and ongoing calls for a more compassionate medical program, Florida lawmakers now have a

Smart & Safe Florida Confident Adult-Use Cannabis Amendment Will Make the 2026 Ballot Florida’s movement toward full adult-use cannabis legalization  is far from over. Even after a recent court ruling tossed out thousands of petition signatures, Smart & Safe Florida  says their 2026 marijuana legalization initiative  remains right on track. With more than one million petitions already submitted — well above the threshold to trigger ballot placement — the campaign insists the

A landmark shift appears to be unfolding in U.S. federal health policy — one that could meaningfully expand access to hemp-derived CBD for seniors, potentially through Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency that administers Medicare. What’s Changing (And What’s Proposed) According to recent reporting, CMS plans to publish a notice in the Federal Register soon that will revise the agency’s existing rules around drug coverage and communications for M

If you care about hemp, cannabis justice, and the future of legalization in Florida, you’re going to want to check out the upcoming episode of The Rotation by Suncoast NORML — we’re bringing on Nikki Fried, chair of the Florida Democratic Party, for a deep dive into hemp, legalization, and what’s next for the Sunshine State. The episode is titled “Nikki Fried Jumps into the Rotation to Talk Hemp and Legalization.” Why Nikki Gets a Slot Nikki Fried has long stood out as one of

Recap of the latest episode of   The Rotation   with Suncoast NORML The Sunday before Thanksgiving is supposed to be about gratitude. On the latest episode of The Rotation , it felt more like: “What the hell just happened – and how do we fight back?” With a last-minute federal budget deal, Congress quietly passed Section 781 , a provision that puts intoxicating hemp products on a one-year countdown to a federal ban. No hearings. No public debate. Just a back-room move that c

An intriguing shift is under-way in how older Americans approach cannabis. A recent study published in JAMA Internal Medicine reports that usage of cannabis among seniors jumped 46% between 2021 and 2023 . This isn’t simply a statistical blip—it’s part of a broader story that touches public health, regulation and the evolving conversation around cannabis across age groups. What the Study Found Among older adults, cannabis use saw a near-half increase in a two-year span. The

A new large-scale study published in the journal Age and Ageing is setting aside one of the most persistent cannabis stereotypes: that use leads to long-term cognitive decline. In fact, the findings suggest the opposite, at least for older adults with a history of cannabis use. What the Study Found Researchers in Israel analysed data from more than 67,000  adults, with a mean age of 67. They compared individuals who had ever  used cannabis with those who had never used it, a

Earlier this month, federal lawmakers approved a major military-construction and veterans affairs funding bill that continues to bar  doctors at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from recommending medical cannabis to veterans. What’s going on The appropriations bill (the “MilCon, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies” portion) was included in a government-funding package that will carry funding through January 30, 2026. Earlier versions of the bill included language th

Introduction On November 13, 2025, the national office of NORML reported that U.S. lawmakers have approved a major funding bill which includes provisions to restrict  the sale of certain hemp-derived intoxicating cannabinoid products. norml.org  For those of us in Florida’s cannabis advocacy community – where hemp, CBD, alternative cannabinoids and progressive regulation have been central to reform efforts – this is a development that demands our full attention. What the Bill

On November 18, 2025, an important move was made toward the legalization of adult-use cannabis in Florida. State election officials announced that the ballot initiative backed by Smart & Safe Florida has been formally advanced to the next step of review—following a lawsuit over delays by the state. What happened The initiative had reportedly collected over 660,000 verified petitions , more than three times the minimum required to move forward. The next procedural step is for

On the latest episode of The Rotation Podcast  by Suncoast NORML, the question on everyone’s mind was right there in the title: “WTF Is Up With Hemp?” Because while most of the country was watching the federal government shut down and then creak back open, something massive happened in the fine print:a $28 billion hemp industry  was quietly targeted for extinction. This episode brought together voices from every part of the hemp supply chain to unpack what just happened, who

Streamed live November 2, 2025 – Suncoast NORML’s “The Rotation” On the Sunday after we “fell back” for Daylight Savings, The Rotation  used that extra hour the best way we know how: in a rotation. This episode was special. Our guest was Ann Druyan – Emmy- and Peabody-winning writer, producer, director of Cosmos , creative director of NASA’s Voyager Interstellar Message (the Golden Record), co-writer of Contact , and a longtime NORML board member. Hosts Gary Stein (Suncoast N

Over recent months in the United States, there has been a lot of talk — and confusion — about what rescheduling  cannabis under federal...

A Maryland appellate court has delivered a major decision in Moore v. Maryland Hemp Coalition , upholding the state’s ban on retail sales...

The latest episode of The Rotation  took a deep dive into one of the most important issues facing Florida’s medical cannabis community:...

A new study out of Halifax, Canada is offering encouraging news about the mental health impact of adult‐use cannabis legalization....

Chemotherapy saves lives — but for many cancer patients, it leaves a challenging after‑effect: chemotherapy‑induced peripheral neuropathy...

What Happened On September 8, 2025 , the U.S. Department of Justice under Attorney General Pam Bondi published notice that it is...

Ever wonder whether cannabis could actually cut back  on your drinking instead of adding to it? A brand-new lab study out of Colorado...

Episode recap:  On this week’s episode of The Rotation , Executive Director Christopher Cano , Political/Policy Director Gary Stein , and...