Visiting Clearwater? What You Can—and Can’t—Do with Cannabis

Florida is a medical-only state for now. Voters rejected a 2024 constitutional amendment that would have legalized adult-use, so recreational possession, purchase, and consumption remain illegal statewide, including in Clearwater. That’s the baseline: no recreational cannabis in Florida.

Who can legally buy and carry cannabis? Only registered Florida medical marijuana patients (including qualifying “seasonal residents”) may purchase from licensed Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers (MMTCs) and possess cannabis. Florida does not recognize out-of-state medical cards, so tourists with cards from other states cannot buy from Florida dispensaries unless they first qualify and register here.

How much can a qualified patient have? Florida caps smokable marijuana at 2.5 ounces per 35-day period (with a typical possession cap of 4 ounces for smokable at any one time unless an exception is approved) and sets product-specific dosing limits for other forms. These limits are tracked in the state’s Medical Marijuana Use Registry.

Where can cannabis be used? Private property only. Public consumption of medical marijuana is prohibited under state rules, and Clearwater goes even further: the city bans smoking and vaping on city-owned beaches and parks. In practice, that means no lighting up—cannabis or otherwise—on Clearwater Beach, Pier 60, or any city park. Businesses and lodging can set their own no-cannabis policies, too.

Can you bring hemp products? Florida tightened hemp rules in 2025—banning delta-8 and limiting hemp-derived delta-9 THC to low doses per serving and per package. Those changes aim to keep intoxicating products away from minors and align labeling and safety standards; tourists will find far fewer “high-THC hemp” items on Florida shelves than in some other states.

What about driving? DUI laws apply to cannabis just like alcohol. Driving while impaired by THC is illegal, regardless of whether you’re a registered patient. Penalties can include fines, license suspension, and jail, and Clearwater-area law enforcement actively enforces Florida’s drugged-driving statute. The safest plan: don’t drive after consuming, and consider rideshare or walking if medicating.

Travel and transport tips for patients: Keep products in original, labeled MMTC packaging, store them out of reach in your vehicle, and carry your Florida MMJ card. Never take cannabis through TSA or across state lines; federal law still classifies marijuana as a controlled substance, and interstate transport remains illegal.

Why the rules are strict in public spaces: Florida’s clean-indoor-air framework and local authority over beaches and parks allow cities like Clearwater to restrict smoking and vaping to protect shared spaces. Even if federal policy shifts or Florida revisits adult-use later, local public-consumption bans are likely to stay.

Bottom line for visitors

  • Recreational cannabis: still illegal in Florida.
  • Patients only: purchasing and possession require a Florida medical card; no reciprocity for tourists.
  • Use privately: never in public; Clearwater bans smoking/vaping on city beaches and parks.
  • Don’t drive high: Florida’s DUI law covers marijuana.
  • Be cautious with hemp: delta-8 is banned; low-dose limits apply.


Read More: Discover Clearwater’s Most Relaxing Attractions