Sen. Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota) filed a bill to ban the smoking or vaping of marijuana products in certain public places last week. The bill, SB 986, aims to protect individuals from potential health hazards associated with secondhand smoke or vapor.
Specifically, SB 986 designates public places, including streets, sidewalks, highways, public parks, public beaches, common areas of schools, hospitals, government buildings, apartment buildings, office buildings, lodging establishments, restaurants, transportation facilities, and retail shops, as public places.
It also specifies vaping as any vapor-generating electronic device for a marijuana product or other substance. Notably, the bill does not prohibit any individual from simply possessing a vaping electronic device.
SB 986 bans smoking or vaping marijuana products, even in areas where using tobacco products is otherwise allowed. It also prohibits smoking or vaping substances in custom smoking rooms, such as an airport in-transit lounge.
Smoking is defined as inhaling, exhaling, burning, carrying, or possessing any lighted tobacco or marijuana product, including cigarettes, cigars, and pipe tobacco.
Medical marijuana is legal in Florida. Recreational pot is not, despite a recent ballot initiative (Amendment 3) in 2024 to change the law, which did not receive enough votes to pass.
SB 986 does not currently have any co-sponsors. It was officially filed on Dec. 19.
Rep. Alex Andrade (R-Pensacola) has filed a similar bill (HB 389) in the House. It is being co-sponsored by Rep. Debra Tendrich (D-Lake Worth).
If passed, SB 986 would go into effect on July 1, 2026. The Florida legislative session begins on Jan. 13 and runs until March 13.
Vaping products have been a hot-button issue, with the state and the federal government looking to crack down on Chinese-made illicit cigarettes in the Florida market.
Could this be an added deterrent in that effort?
The Floridian has reached out to Sen. Gruters for comment and will update the story if a comment is received.
