Florida is tough on marijuana possession. You could be charged with a misdemeanor or worse for possession even a small amount.
The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Law points out that there are exceptions in place if you have a medical permit and are only using marijuana to treat a medical condition. If you do not have a prescription for medical marijuana, you may be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
Misdemeanor possession
You may be charged with a misdemeanor if police find you with 20 grams or less of marijuana. You may be fined a maximum of $1,000 and you could be looking at up to one year of jail time.
Felony possession
Possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana is considered a felony in Florida. You could be fined up to $5,000 and sentenced to as many as five years in prison if police catch you with an amount between 20 grams and 25 pounds.
If you have more than 25 pounds but less than 2,000 pounds, the fine increases to a maximum of $25,000 and the prison sentence could be anywhere from three to 15 years. For possession of an amount between 2,000 and 10,000 pounds, the maximum fine doubles, and you could face a prison sentence between seven and 30 years. If police find you with 10,000 pounds or more, you could be fined as much as $200,000 and imprisoned for anywhere between 15 and 30 years.
In addition to the possession charges, you could also be charged with an additional felony if you are within 1,000 feet of a park, college or school at the time you are caught.
