When people talk about cannabis reform, legalization, and medical marijuana, they often focus on lawmakers, activists, and patients. But behind nearly all  modern cannabis science stands one man: Dr. Raphael Mechoulam . Known worldwide as the father of cannabis research , Mechoulam’s discoveries laid the scientific foundation for everything from medical marijuana laws to today’s booming cannabinoid research industry. For advocates, patients, and policymakers alike, understand

Massachusetts has officially legalized cannabis consumption lounges , marking a historic expansion of adult-use marijuana policy and setting a powerful precedent for states like Florida that continue to prohibit legal places to consume cannabis socially. After years of delays following the state’s 2016 voter-approved legalization of recreational marijuana, the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) has finalized regulations allowing licensed on-site cannabis consumpt

The conversation around Florida cannabis laws  continues to evolve. While the Sunshine State has made progress on medical access, recreational cannabis in Florida  remains illegal — but that hasn’t stopped activists, patients, and local governments from pushing for smarter, more compassionate drug policy reform. Recreational Cannabis Still Illegal in Florida Under current state law, cannabis for recreational use  is illegal in Florida. Possessing up to 20 grams of marijuana i

The landscape of federal cannabis policy is shifting in a historic way. On December 18, 2025 , President Donald Trump signed a landmark executive order  directing federal agencies to reschedule marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III  under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA)  — a major development that cannabis advocates have been urging for decades. This move represents one of the biggest federal policy changes in over 50 years of cannabis prohibition  — but it’s not the

Recent data from the Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU)  shows that Florida’s medical marijuana program continues to add patients — but at a slower pace than in prior years. While growth remains positive, the slowdown highlights both structural barriers within the program and the urgency for broader cannabis policy reform. Steady Numbers, Slowing Momentum According to the latest reporting, Florida began 2025 with roughly 895,469 active medical marijuana patients  and ende

A new medical marijuana expansion bill has just been filed in the Florida Legislature that could be a game-changer  for patients struggling with pain and opioid dependence. The proposal was introduced by Republican state Rep. Bill Partington for the 2026 session and represents one of the most significant efforts this year to broaden access to cannabis for therapeutic use. What the Bill Would Do House Bill 719 would create several key reforms to Florida’s medical cannabis prog

Recent findings published by NORML highlight growing evidence that cannabis use may be associated with lower rates of obesity and metabolic syndrome — a cluster of conditions linked to elevated risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. What the New Study Found The study, published in the journal Schizophrenia Research, examined adults with a history of recent cannabis use and compared their health outcomes to matched controls. Researchers found that people who tested positi

Over the past decade, cannabis policy in the United States has shifted dramatically at the state level — with medical programs in more than 40 states and recreational legalization in about half of the country. But despite this overwhelming momentum, federal law still classifies marijuana as a Schedule I drug  under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) — the same category that includes heroin and LSD — a label that flies in the face of science, public opinion, and medical use a

If you’ve been feeling like cannabis policy in Florida (and Washington) is a constant game of “two steps forward, ten steps back, then somebody moves the goalposts,” this episode was for you. On our latest episode of The Rotation , Suncoast NORML sat down with Nikki Fried —former Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, current Chair of the Florida Democratic Party, NORML board member, and longtime cannabis reform champion—for an unfiltered, no-script conversation about where the

Over the last several months, national and local media outlets have published increasingly dramatic stories warning of an alleged rise in “scromiting”—a slang term combining “screaming” and “vomiting”—and linking it directly to Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS). These stories have fueled public confusion, political alarmism, and a wave of misunderstanding about both CHS and cannabis use. But here’s the truth: CHS is real, but the way it is being portrayed is neither scienti

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