Why Did the Hemp Dispensaries Close? The Truth Behind Florida’s Quiet Cannabis Crackdown

If you’ve driven past your favorite hemp shop lately and seen a “closed” sign, you’re not alone - and you’re definitely not crazy.

Thousands of small cannabis businesses across Florida are suddenly shuttering, pulling products from shelves, or scrambling to keep up with new rules. And if you’re wondering why this is happening, the answer isn’t about safety or public health.

It’s about power. Money. And control.

 

Hemp Is Cannabis - Thats the problem.

Thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp-derived cannabinoids like THCa, Delta-8, and Delta-9 THC became federally legal - as long as the final product contains less than 0.3% active Delta-9 THC by dry weight.

That law opened the door for small businesses, farmers, and local brands to participate in the cannabis space legally - without having to go through Florida’s tightly controlled “medical marijuana” system.

And it worked. Florida’s hemp market boomed, with more than 10,000 hemp retailers and over $10 billion in national hemp revenue projected in 2024. People loved it. Why?

Because hemp cannabis was:

• Accessible 

• Affordable 

• Community and Small business Lead

But that success created a threat: not to the public health, but to the market share

 

What Happened: The Lobbying Playbook, Page 1

 

In early 2024, Florida lawmakers introduced Senate Bill 1698 - a sweeping attempt to restrict or ban common hemp products like gummies and flower.

The bill was backed by intense lobbying from licensed cannabis operators (also known as Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers, or MMTCs) like Trulieve, Verano, and Surterra. These are billion-dollar businesses with deep pockets and vested interests in controlling who gets to participate in Florida’s cannabis industry.

Let’s be clear:

Lobbying itself isn’t illegal. Companies have a right to advocate for policies that align with their business models. But when that lobbying seeks to eliminate small competitors, it’s worth asking hard questions.

SB 1698 was pitched as a “safety bill,” but anyone actually working in the hemp space could see what was really happening:

It was a coordinated effort to shut down hemp businesses under the guise of public health

 

The Veto - and the Workaround

Thanks to grassroots advocacy and public outcry, Governor DeSantis vetoed SB 1698. People called. Businesses rallied. The message was clear:

Florida didn’t want a corporate monopoly on cannabis.

But instead of respecting that democratic process, regulators pivoted behind the scenes.

 

Rule Changes No One Voted For

Shortly after the veto, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) quietly passed a series of rule changes that took effect in June 2025 - no new law, no legislative debate, no vote.

These new rules include:

• A ban on color additives (natural and artificial - making most gummies noncompliant)

• Strict child-resistant packaging requirements (ASTM D3475-20)

• A redefinition of “Total Delta-9 THC” - now including THCa and Delta-8, effectively banning full-spectrum hemp flower.

These changes weren’t debated on the Senate floor. They weren’t publicized. They didn’t go through the normal checks and balances.

They were made quietly, in an attempt to do what legislation couldn’t:

Eliminate legal hemp access without facing public backlash

 

Wait - Aren’t These the Same Dispensaries Selling Hemp Now?

Yes. And that’s the part that makes this even harder to stomach.

Some of the same companies that lobbied to restrict hemp access… are now selling hemp products under their own labels in liquor stores and smoke shops across the state. See for yourself: Trulive's new Hemp Beverage  or  Curaleaf's new Hemp Dispensary

Let that sink in.

They said hemp was dangerous.

They said hemp was unregulated.

They said hemp was a public safety issue.

And now they’re selling it - because it makes money.

This isn’t about cannabis.

This is about corporate cannabis - and the intentional erasure of small, community-led businesses from the industry

 

This Is Bigger Than Florida

Florida isn’t alone. Similar crackdowns are happening in:

• Tennessee (THCa flower banned 7/1/25)

• Texas (vapes ban begins 8/1/25)

• Ohio, North Carolina, and several others - all seeing aggressive rulemaking used to sidestep failed legislation.

It’s a coordinated national trend, and if we stay silent, we’ll lose what made hemp cannabis special in the first place

 

So, Why Did the Hemp Dispensary Close?

Because they couldn’t change the laws - so they changed the rules.

And when small businesses tried to keep up, but the goalposts moved again. 

 

What Can You Do?

• Share this blog with your friends, family, and local customers.

• Call your representatives and tell them you support hemp access and small business protections.

• Support brands that actually care about education, quality, and transparency- like us.

• Follow the money - you can check Florida’s lobbying records here.

• Explore resources like Hemp Roundtable to stay informed.

   

 

We’re Still Standing

 

Greenhouse Girls isn’t going anywhere.

We’re compliant. We’re transparent. We’re here to serve, educate, and uplift our community.

We’ll keep rolling joints, packing gummies, hosting events, and fighting for fair access - because this isn’t just about one dispensary.

It’s about your right to cannabis that’s accessible, affordable, and free from monopoly control.

So if you’re wondering why the hemp dispensary closed - now you know.

And we’re not letting them take this from us without a fight.

 

Bloom. Blaze. Empower.