In Ft. Lauderdale, “hemp shop” and “dispensary” may look similar from the street, but Florida treats them as two different retail worlds with different regulators, product definitions, and compliance expectations.

Dispensaries are part of Florida’s medical marijuana system. Under Florida law, medical cannabis is dispensed through state-licensed Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers (MMTCs) and sold to qualified patients (or caregivers) listed in the Medical Marijuana Use Registry. This system is overseen by the Florida Department of Health’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU) and is built around strict licensing, inventory controls, and “seed-to-sale” tracking. In practice, that means dispensaries are not general-public cannabis retailers; they are medical outlets tied to patient eligibility and state rules on dispensing, packaging, and reporting.

Learn More: Understanding Medical Cannabis Cards and Why You Might Need One

Hemp shops operate under Florida’s hemp and food regulatory framework, not OMMU. Hemp products are derived from cannabis that meets the legal definition of hemp, tied to low delta-9 THC thresholds. In Florida, hemp regulation sits largely with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), and many consumable hemp products are treated like regulated “food” items under state law and rules.

Do they follow different rules?

Yes—because the state views the products differently.

Dispensaries (medical marijuana):

• Sell only to registry-qualified patients and caregivers, not walk-in adult consumers.
• Operate under MMTC licensing and OMMU oversight, including compliance inspections and controlled distribution.

Hemp shops (hemp extracts and hemp consumables):

• Must comply with FDACS requirements for hemp extract products intended for human consumption, including permitting expectations for hemp food establishments and detailed packaging, labeling, and testing standards.
• Florida has also stepped up enforcement actions against noncompliant hemp products, with a particular focus on youth-appealing items and products that fail to meet state rules.

“Delta-8” and other intoxicating hemp products: legal, but heavily scrutinized

A common source of confusion in Ft. Lauderdale involves intoxicating hemp derivatives often marketed as “delta-8,” “THC-A,” or similar terms. While Florida lawmakers attempted to significantly restrict certain intoxicating hemp products in 2024, those proposed changes did not ultimately become statewide law. However, FDACS has continued moving forward with tighter, enforceable rules for consumable hemp extracts, along with active inspections and compliance messaging.

What this means for Ft. Lauderdale shoppers

In simple terms, dispensaries operate within a tightly controlled medical system with patient access requirements, while hemp shops function as consumer retail under FDACS oversight with evolving enforcement standards. For consumers, the safest approach is to understand where a product is being sold, check labeling and testing transparency for hemp items, and remember that only OMMU-regulated dispensaries participate in Florida’s medical marijuana program.

Learn More: CBD vs THC products in Ft Lauderdale, FL – What is more popular?