Florida veterans just scored a major win. Lawmakers unanimously passed a bill that cuts the cost of a medical marijuana registry card from $75 to $15, an 80 percent price drop that removes one more barrier for those who served.
The House Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee voted 18-0 Thursday to advance the bipartisan measure sponsored by Rep. Michelle Salzman, a Republican from Pensacola, and Rep. Susan Valdés, a Democrat from Tampa.
Veterans will soon pay just $15 instead of $75 for their medical marijuana cards if the bill becomes law.
That $60 savings might seem small to some, but for veterans living on fixed disability checks or struggling to make ends meet, it can mean the difference between getting medicine or going without.
Salzman and Valdés both called it a “common-sense fix.” Valdés told the committee the proposal is a “simple bill with a very big impact” on Florida’s veteran community.
The price cut applies to any veteran who qualifies for the state’s medical marijuana program, whether they use VA healthcare or not.
Veterans Carry Heavy Burdens
Florida is home to roughly 1.5 million veterans, the third-largest veteran population in the country.
Many return home with invisible wounds. The VA says more than 20 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans suffer from PTSD. Chronic pain affects even more.
Traditional opioid painkillers come with addiction risks and side effects. Medical marijuana has become a safer option for thousands of Florida veterans managing pain, anxiety, sleep disorders, and other service-connected conditions.
Yet the $75 fee, plus doctor visits every seven months, adds up fast. For veterans already fighting bureaucracy and long VA wait times, that cost can force tough choices between medicine and groceries.
Breaking Down the Numbers
- Current card fee: $75 every two years
- Proposed veteran fee: $15 every two years
- Annual savings for a veteran renewing regularly: up to $150 over five years when including multiple renewals
- Florida currently has more than 850,000 registered medical marijuana patients
- Veterans make up a significant portion of new patients each year, state data shows
The fee reduction would cost the state an estimated $400,000 to $600,000 per year in lost revenue, according to preliminary staff analysis. Lawmakers say supporting veterans is worth every penny.
Rare Bipartisan Unity
The 18-0 vote shows something remarkable in today’s politics: complete agreement when it comes to helping veterans.
Republican and Democratic members spoke with one voice. Committee chair Randy Fine, a Republican, called it “the easiest vote I’ll make all session.”
A companion bill in the Senate, sponsored by Tampa Republican Jay Collins, a combat-wounded Purple Heart recipient, is also moving forward. Collins has made veteran healthcare one of his top priorities.
If both chambers pass matching versions, Governor Ron DeSantis is widely expected to sign the measure into law before the legislative session ends in March.
A Small Step That Could Save Lives
This isn’t about politics or the broader marijuana debate. It’s about saying thank you in a real way to men and women who raised their right hand and wrote a blank check to this country.
For veterans battling pain that keeps them up at night, anxiety that makes crowded rooms unbearable, or PTSD that turns everyday moments into minefields, $60 matters.
It might be the difference between filling a prescription that brings relief or white-knuckling through another day.
Florida lawmakers just proved that taking care of veterans doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Sometimes the biggest impact comes from the simplest acts of gratitude.
