If you’re a Florida medical-cannabis cardholder visiting or living in the Miami metro (Miami, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Hialeah, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, etc.), you might be looking for Amsterdam-style cafés or Vegas-style lounges where you can legally consume. The short answer, as of 2025: Florida does not allow public, on-site cannabis consumption, and there are no state-licensed cannabis smoking lounges around Miami. Below is a clear, sourced guide to what is—and isn’t—permitted, plus practical alternatives for compliant patients.
The State Rule that Blocks Lounges
Florida’s medical marijuana statute expressly bans patient use in any public place and on public transportation, among other locations. The law makes an explicit exception only for low-THC cannabis not in a form for smoking—so smoking or vaping in public venues is off the table for qualified patients.
Florida’s Clean Indoor Air Act (FCAA) also prohibits smoking and, since 2019, vaping/e-cigs in enclosed indoor workplaces, with narrow exceptions (e.g., certain tobacco shops and designated hotel rooms that allow smoking). Even where tobacco may be permitted, property rules and the medical marijuana statute still restrict cannabis use. Practically, the FCAA framework makes it very hard for a typical hospitality venue to host on-site cannabis use.
Florida’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU) reiterates that medical cannabis is legal for qualified patients, but public use is not. Patients must follow the statute and local rules.
Local Reality: Miami-Area Cities
Miami Beach: The city directly enforces public-consumption bans. It warns visitors that smoking marijuana on beaches, parks, and other public property is illegal and prosecutable; the city even highlights penalties around spring break. Miami Beach’s code also makes it unlawful to smoke cannabis or hemp on public property (streets, sidewalks, parks, etc.).
City of Miami: While Miami has worked through zoning and spacing rules for “smoke shops” and similar businesses, nothing in those actions authorizes cannabis lounges; they’re subject to state law, which bars public consumption.
Broward (Fort Lauderdale / Hollywood) & Miami-Dade (Hialeah, Coral Gables, etc.): Counties and cities have varied approaches to decriminalizing simple possession, but decriminalization ≠ a right to consume in public. Public consumption remains illegal under state law.
Bottom line: Across the Miami metro, there are no legal cannabis consumption lounges for smoking or vaping as of September 2025.
“What About Private Clubs or ‘420-Friendly’ Events?”
Be cautious. An event space, private club, or “smoking lounge” still sits under the same state framework:
- Public place bans still apply. If the venue is open to the public—or qualifies as a public place—smoking cannabis is prohibited.
- Workplace rules: Most indoor venues are workplaces, so the FCAA smoking/vaping restrictions apply, making on-site consumption legally risky or unworkable. READ MORE: Florida Department of Health
Some cities also regulate “smoke shops” and “smoking lounges” as land uses (zoning/separation rules), but that doesn’t authorize cannabis consumption; it typically targets retail hemp/tobacco shops, not medical marijuana use.
Where Can a Patient Consume Near Miami?
Private residences (with the owner’s permission). Florida law allows qualified patients to use their medicine in private, subject to landlord or HOA rules. This is the most straightforward, compliant option. (Note: Florida still forbids use on K-12 school grounds, in correctional facilities, etc.)
Hotel rooms? Some hotels permit tobacco smoking in designated rooms, but cannabis is different:
- The state prohibits marijuana use in a public place; a hotel may be treated as a public lodging with its own policies.
- Most hotels explicitly ban cannabis. Even if a room allows tobacco, that does not automatically permit cannabis. Always check the property’s policy. READ MORE HERE: Florida Department of Health
Vehicles, boats, beaches, parks, sidewalks: All are public spaces or covered settings where use is prohibited (Miami Beach is strict about beaches/parks).
“But Other States Have Lounges—Why Not Here?”
You might have seen state-licensed lounges in Nevada (e.g., Las Vegas) or new “cannabis café” models in California (effective 2025, allowing food/entertainment at lounges under AB 1775). Florida simply hasn’t created a comparable legal pathway; its statute prioritizes no public consumption, and the FCAA’s workplace restrictions add another barrier.
Until the Florida Legislature passes an on-site consumption framework (and local governments opt in), lounges won’t be lawful in the Miami area.
Practical Tips for Cardholders Visiting Greater Miami
- Plan for private, not public, use. Arrange compliant consumption at a private residence with the owner’s consent. Do not use in public, in vehicles, or on the beach.
- Carry your MMJ card & keep products in original packaging. If questioned, you’ll want to show you’re a qualified patient (and within purchase/possession limits). The OMMU summarizes eligibility and registry details.
- Mind local rules. Miami Beach actively enforces public-consumption bans with potential fines/jail; other cities post similar prohibitions for parks and public spaces.
- Don’t vape indoors in workplaces. The FCAA bars vaping/smoking in enclosed indoor workplaces, which captures most venues.
- Know the form and setting. Even low-THC exceptions in the statute don’t authorize smoking in public. When in doubt, assume public use is illegal.
Quick City-by-City Snapshot (Miami Area)
| City (Metro Miami) | Cannabis Lounges? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Miami | No | Zoning actions reference smoke-shop/smoking-lounge spacing, but state law blocks cannabis consumption areas. |
| Miami Beach | No | Public consumption explicitly illegal; enforcement highlighted, especially during peak tourism periods. |
| Coral Gables / Hialeah / North Miami Beach | No | Follow state public-use ban; some local zoning changes affect smoke shops but not cannabis lounges. |
| Fort Lauderdale / Hollywood (Broward) | No | Some decriminalization for possession, but no public use; state rules still govern. |
The Bottom Line
- Are there cannabis lounges around Miami that a medical cardholder can visit?
No. Florida law forbids public/on-site consumption, and the Miami area follows suit. - Can you consume anywhere publicly with a medical card?
No. Public spaces (streets, sidewalks, parks, beaches, transit) are off-limits; most indoor venues are workplaces and covered by smoke/vape bans. - Where can you legally consume?
Private property with permission, while following patient rules and local ordinances.
Until Florida enacts on-site consumption legislation (and local governments adopt it), the Miami model will remain purchase at dispensaries, consume in private—not lounges.
Sources
- Florida medical marijuana statute (public-use prohibitions): §381.986, Fla. Stat. (2024–2025). (Online Sunshine)
- Florida Clean Indoor Air Act (smoking/vaping in enclosed workplaces): Florida Dept. of Health overview; Tobacco Free Florida. (Florida Department of Health)
- OMMU (Florida Dept. of Health) patient info & rules. (Medical Marijuana Use Florida)
- Miami Beach public-consumption enforcement and code (no cannabis/hemp smoking on public property; city advisories). (City of Miami Beach)
- City of Miami action on smoke shops/smoking lounges (zoning/spacing)—does not authorize cannabis lounges. (Miami Documents)
- Context: states that do allow lounges (for comparison only; not Florida): industry roundups; California AB 1775 (2025). (Catalyst BC)