In 2026, Florida cannabis compliance will place increased emphasis on product safety, formulation integrity, and verifiable testing as regulators refine the manufacturing, marketing, and monitoring of medical cannabis products. Recent emergency rules and active rulemaking indicate a shift toward more prescriptive standards to enhance patient protection. Meanwhile, legislative proposals signal a possibility of expanded supply limits and home cultivation allowances. 

This article outlines the compliance changes that Florida medical marijuana treatment centers (MMTCs) can expect in 2026 and how evolving Compassionate Use rules may impact lab testing, formulation, and planning.

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Florida Cannabis Compliance in 2026: The Regulatory Landscape at a Glance

Targeted emergency rules, active rulemaking, and legislative proposals are shaping Florida cannabis compliance in 2026. The Department of Health (DOH), Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU), is tightening oversight in areas related to product safety, marketing, testing, and labeling, while lawmakers consider legislative changes that could expand patient access, increase supply limits, permit home growing, and reduce administrative barriers to patient certifications and renewals.

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Key developments influencing 2026 MMTC compliance in Florida include:

• Emergency rules governing MMTC advertising and marketing (64ER25-6), marijuana delivery device approval, packaging, and recalls (64ER25-5), and wholesale transfers tied to documented harvest failures (64ER25-4)
  
  
• Notices of development of rulemaking covering edible production standards, solvent-based extraction, packaging and labeling, dosing and supply limits, and seed-to-sale system integration
  
  
• Laws implemented between 2023 and 2025 that remain enforceable in 2026, including mandatory registry revocations tied to certain criminal convictions and in-person requirements for initial patient certifications
  
  
• Legislative proposals for the 2026 session that may increase allowable supply limits, extend patient registration and physician re-evaluation periods, waive select fees for veterans, and introduce new employment and parental protections

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Emergency Rules MMTCs Should Be Monitoring Now

Florida regulators issued several emergency rules in late 2025 that remain in effect heading into 2026. These rules address high-risk operational areas where the state has identified immediate safety, oversight, or compliance gaps.

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MMTC Advertising and Marketing (64ER25-6)

Effective December 31, 2025

The MMTC Advertising and Marketing emergency rule establishes specific requirements for promotional activities, including outside signage and internet advertising. The rule focuses on how MMTCs present their businesses and products to the public, establishing clearer limits on visibility, placement, and content. MMTCs should review websites, digital ads, social media, and physical signage to ensure their practices align with these updated standards.

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Marijuana Delivery Devices (64ER25-5)

Effective December 24, 2025

This emergency Compassionate Use rule establishes a new approval process for marijuana delivery devices by requiring the submission of a variance by an MMTC. It also authorizes the state to require recalls of devices deemed unsafe and reinforces packaging requirements that align delivery devices with existing packaging and labeling standards for usable medical marijuana products. Device design, safety documentation, and packaging should all be evaluated under this framework.

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Harvest Failures and Wholesale Transfers (64ER25-4)

Effective December 22, 2025

The harvest failures emergency rule establishes a process that allows MMTCs to purchase marijuana from, or distribute marijuana to, another MMTC in the event of a documented harvest crisis. The rule requires submission of proof to the department, emphasizing the importance of traceability, approval, and oversight when the product is transferred between licensees.

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How emergency rules work in Florida

Emergency rules enforcing the Medical Use of Marijuana (Florida statute 381.986) take effect immediately upon filing and are enforceable as soon as they become effective. Under Florida’s medical marijuana law, these rules may remain in effect until replaced by permanent rules adopted through formal rulemaking, rather than expiring automatically like emergency rules in other legislative areas.

MMTCs should consider treating emergency rules as binding compliance requirements and as a clear indicator of how regulators will evaluate safety, testing, labeling, and operational practices during inspections and audits.

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Rulemaking in Development: What It Signals for Formulation, Labeling, and Testing

Alongside the latest emergency rules, Florida regulators are developing permanent regulations to codify prior emergency rules, such as those for edible production standards and solvent-based extraction. The OMMU has issued Notices of Development of Rulemaking for these directives. However, the Florida Administrative Code (FAC) has not yet officially adopted them.

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Current administrative code efforts relevant to product safety and cannabis compliance testing include:

• Edible production standards (64-4.205), which focus on formulation controls, dose uniformity (homogeneity), and safety requirements for edible medical marijuana products
  
  
• Solvent-based extraction (64-4.209), addressing extraction methods, residual solvent considerations, and related testing expectations
  
  
• Packaging and labeling (64-4.219), which may refine label content, warnings, and alignment between product labels and laboratory certificates of analysis
  
  
• Seed-to-sale system integration (64-4.221), reinforcing the role of accurate testing data in product tracking and regulatory reporting
  
  
• Dosing and supply limits (64-4.224), which may affect serving sizes, formulation design, and inventory controls
  
  

What MMTCs Should Be Doing Now to Prepare for 2026

MMTCs must start treating the Department of Health OMMU’s emergency rules as active enforcement standards. Licensure applicants should view them as a preview of the operational, testing, and documentation expectations tied to approval and ongoing oversight.

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Priority actions aligned with current emergency rules may include:

• Plan for delivery device approval and recall readiness
  Emergency Rule 64ER25-5 (MMTC Marijuana Delivery Devices) introduces formal expectations around device safety, packaging, and recall procedures. Applicants should consider these requirements when selecting devices, designing packaging, and developing third-party testing strategies prior to submitting licensure materials.
  
  
• Build compliant advertising and digital marketing frameworks early
  Under 64ER25-6 (MMTC Advertising and Marketing), regulators have clarified restrictions around signage, online content, and audience targeting. Licensure hopefuls should design branding and marketing programs that align with these limits from the outset to avoid rework during inspections or license reviews.
  
  
• Document contingency plans for supply disruptions
  64ER25-4 (Harvest Failures and Wholesale Transfers) formalizes approval and documentation requirements for inter-MMTC transfers. Applicants should be prepared to demonstrate how testing data, inventory controls, and traceability support compliance in the event of unexpected production shortfalls.
  
  
• Align testing, labeling, and seed-to-sale data from day one
  Emergency rules and active rulemaking signal heightened scrutiny of consistency between laboratory results, product labels, and tracking systems. Working with an accredited testing laboratory early helps operators validate formulations, confirm label accuracy, and maintain defensible records as rules evolve.
  
  
• Treat safety and recall readiness as core compliance functions
  Florida regulators are clearly prioritizing consumer safety, whether through device oversight, formulation controls, or labeling accuracy. Both MMTCs and applicants should ensure testing protocols, batch documentation, and recall procedures are built into standard operating plans—not added later.
  
  

Addressing these areas early reduces regulatory risk, supports smoother licensure and inspections, and positions operators to adapt as emergency rules transition into permanent standards in 2026.

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Legislative Proposals to Watch Heading Into 2026

In addition to regulatory activity from the Department of Health, several legislative proposals could reshape Florida’s medical cannabis program if enacted during the 2026 session. If enacted, these bills would amend Florida Statutes and trigger rulemaking by the Department of Health and the Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU) to define how the changes are implemented and enforced.

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Key proposals MMTCs and licensure hopefuls should be tracking include:

• Expanded supply limits
  Proposed legislation would allow physicians to certify higher total supply amounts, including up to 10 consecutive 70-day supply limits for smokable marijuana. Implementation would likely influence formulation planning, batch sizing, testing volumes, and inventory controls. [source]

• Extended patient registration and recertification periods
  Bills proposing longer timelines for physician recertification and identification card renewal would require updates to registry workflows and reporting rules. [source]
  
  
• Home cultivation allowances
  Proposed legislation would permit limited home cultivation for qualified patients. Agencies would need to clarify enforcement boundaries, labeling distinctions, and compliance expectations for MMTC products. [source]
  
  
• Fee waivers and patient protections
  Legislative proposals addressing veteran fee waivers, parental protections, and public employee protections focus on patient access but may influence overall program participation and demand.

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The Bottom Line

Florida’s medical cannabis program is not resetting in 2026. Instead, regulators are adding layers to an existing regulatory structure built around safety, compliance testing, and labeling. Emergency rules, developing regulations, and future legislation all rely on laboratory data to verify products meet state standards.

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ACS Laboratory helps Florida MMTCs and licensure applicants generate defensible testing data that supports formulation decisions, label accuracy, and regulatory readiness. Contact our team today for compliant cannabis testing in Florida for 2026 and beyond.