Yes, there are several dispensaries in Fort Myers, but none is available for dispensing adult-use cannabis. The dispensaries in Fort Myers are only open to patients diagnosed with certain debilitating medical conditions requiring cannabis treatment. Currently, recreational marijuana is illegal everywhere in Florida, and there are no legal weed dispensaries throughout the state, including Fort Myers.
Fort Myers is home to a number of licensed medical marijuana dispensaries, popularly known as Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers, in Florida. Legal sales of medical cannabis directly to patients began in Florida after voters' approval of Amendment 2, otherwise known as the Florida Medical Marijuana Legalization Initiative. Before Amendment 2, in 2014, Florida legalized low-THC cannabis following the enactment of the Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act for patients with certain severe health challenges.
Under the Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act, the Office of Compassionate Use was created in the Florida Department of Health (DOH) to oversee the state's medical marijuana program. However, only licensed allopathic and osteopathic doctors in the state could access low-THC cannabis on behalf of patients. This limited patients' access to medical marijuana treatment. The approval of Amendment 2 enhanced patients' access to medical cannabis by establishing MMTCs in Fort Myers and other parts of Florida. The Office of Compassionate Use was also changed to the Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU).
Yes, qualified patients in Fort Myers can buy medicinal cannabis from online dispensaries in the city. They can make such orders directly from the dispensaries' websites. It is illegal for anyone to order recreational cannabis online because adult-use marijuana remains illegal in Florida.
Currently, dispensaries in Fort Myers only sell medical cannabis to qualified patients, and they usually require first-time visitors to complete a procedure. This procedure, generally known as the intake procedure, is executed to enable dispensaries to ascertain patients' registration status under the Florida medical marijuana program. After this first time, eligible cannabis patients only need to visit licensed dispensaries in Fort Myers with their Florida medical marijuana cards and cash. Asking the dispensary employees for help while at the dispensary is not out of place, as they are always willing to guide customers based on their prescriptions.
Only medical marijuana dispensaries may currently operate in Fort Myers, as recreational cannabis remains illegal in Florida. Fort Myers dispensary rules are listed in Section 381.986 (8) of Florida Statutes, and they include the following:
Adult-use marijuana is still prohibited in Fort Myers in compliance with Florida marijuana laws.
The following are some medical marijuana laws in Fort Myers:
Patients with any qualifying medical condition for cannabis treatment in Fort Myers can get the Florida medical marijuana card, popularly called the Medical Marijuana Use Registry Card, via two methods. They may apply online or fill out paper application forms. The Office of Medical Use (OMMU) under the Florida Department of Health (DOH) processes and issues medical marijuana cards in Fort Myers and other parts of the state.
The OMMU accepts online applications made on Medical Marijuana Use Registry Portal and provides a Login Instructional Guide and Online Application Instructions to assist eligible patients in the applications. Applicants must provide all required documents and supply accurate information when completing the online application form. The processing fee is $75.
For a paper application, a medical marijuana card applicant in Fort Myers must complete the Patient Application Form or a Caregiver Application Form (whichever is applicable). They must also provide all required documents, including proof of Florida Residency and a $75 check or money order made out to the Florida Department of Health. Completed forms and necessary documents should be mailed to the DOH at:
Florida Office of Medical Marijuana Use
P.O. Box 31313
Tampa, FL 33631-3313
A private residence remains the only legal and safe place to consume cannabis in Fort Myers.
A Florida medical marijuana card is required to buy cannabis at any licensed dispensary in Fort Myers. Only registered patients 18 years and over can enter any of the city's dispensaries; caregivers for patients under 18 can purchase cannabis for their patients. Dispensaries in Fort Myers cannot dispense recreational marijuana as adult-use cannabis remains illegal in Florida.
High-quality cannabis in Fort Myers dispensaries is sold at an average of $295 per ounce, while medium-quality marijuana costs about $227.
Popular marijuana strains in Fort Myers include Runtz, Blue Dreams, SSI95, Guru #10, and Mandarin Sunset.
Smoking marijuana in public is illegal in Fort Myers, as stipulated in SB 8-A.
While possessing any amount of adult-use cannabis is illegal in Fort Myers, Florida marijuana law permits registered cannabis patients in the city to possess up to a 70-day supply of medical cannabis. This is subject to the following limits within any 70-day period:
No, it is illegal to ship marijuana in Fort Myers because it is a federal offense to transport marijuana across state lines.
Yes, but only eligible cannabis patients can order cannabis online in Fort Myers. It is illegal to purchase or use cannabis for recreational purposes in the city.
Florida Statutes prohibit over-the-counter 24-hour dispensary operations statewide, including in Fort Myers, but permit 24-hour daily delivery of medical cannabis.
Tourists cannot use dispensaries in Fort Myers because only Florida permanent residents with qualifying medical conditions can be enrolled in the state's medical marijuana program.
A Florida medical marijuana card is needed to enter a licensed dispensary in Fort Myers.
The best dispensaries in Fort Myers include Truelieve, Fluent, and Curaleaf.
Dispensaries in Fort Myers may choose to scan customers' IDs, but state law does not require it.
As of January 2024, Fort Myers had seven of the Florida-licensed dispensaries operating at 11 locations within the city borders.
No. It is illegal for dispensaries in Fort Myers to take credit cards because of the federal ban on marijuana prohibiting card companies from processing marijuana payments.
There is no limit to the number of dispensaries Fort Myers residents can visit daily. However, they cannot purchase more than the state-approved cannabis possession limit at any given time.
Dispensaries in Fort Myers do not take health insurance.
Dispensaries in Fort Myers use the seed-to-sale tracking system, known as Biotrack, provided by the Florida Department of Health to track how much cannabis they sell to cannabis patients.
Yes, qualified and registered medical patients in Florida can enter licensed medical marijuana dispensaries in Fort Myers at 18.
Interested persons can contact the Fort Myers cannabis regulator, OMMU, using any of the contact information listed on their website.
Reports of illegal cannabis activities in Fort Myers can be reported to the Fort Myers Police Department at (239) 321-7700.