Florida drivers that have received there medical marijuana cards or are planning on getting the proper licensing should be aware of their rights when they drive with their medical marijuana prescriptions in their vehicle. You must never drive while under the affects of your medical cannabis but it is permissible to transport your medical marijuana within your car in the state of Florida as long as you are completely sober. Keeping your cannabis in a completely sealed container is one of the most important things to remember. You should also consider keeping it in the trunk when you drive.
Getting pulled over by law enforcement while you’ve got a stash of cannabis on board presents a very delicate situation. Depending on which state you’re being pulled over in, the penalties for possessing cannabis can range from a small fine to six months (or more) in jail. There are no guarantees when it comes to transporting cannabis (even within a legal state), so just in case, keep this handy checklist on hand to make sure you know your rights:
If you prefer not to speak, you have a right to, so long as you present your license and registration and otherwise cooperate with the traffic stop. This may not go over well with the officer, but you can also stick to short, one-word answers.
The best, most direct course of action is to simply say, “Officer, I have nothing to hide, but I don’t consent to any searches.” Officers may try to convince drivers that they just need to “take a quick look” in your trunk or backseat, but you do not have to consent to a search, which means they’ll need probable cause or a search warrant.
The best way to transport cannabis is in a scent-proof container in your trunk. Treat it like liquor–no open containers in the car, and keep it in a secure location, out of sniffing distance of roadside officers.
In Arizona, a court ruling overturned a marijuana possession case in 2013, finding that the scent of cannabis alone does not constitute probable cause for a search. However, in many states, the odor of cannabis is enough for an officer to believe that a crime is being committed and that searching the car may reveal the crime. Keeping your cannabis in an odor-proof container (ideally in the trunk) is the safest way to avoid this scenario.
If you’ve done nothing wrong and the officer has not searched your vehicle, or has searched your vehicle and turned up empty-handed, ask politely, “Officer, am I being detained or am I free to go?” If they have no reason to detain you, be persistent. “Officer, am I free to go?”
Original Post from FloridaMedCard