Florida’s Hemp law & Searches based on Odor… Is that marijuana that I smell…or hemp?
On July 1, 2019, Senate Bill 1020 a/k/a the “Hemp” Bill became law. Low THC hemp (.3% or less) is not cannabis and is not illegal.
Hemp and marijuana are both derived from the Cannabis Sativa plant. Marijuana and Hemp look alike, feel alike and smell alike. Both can be smoked.
这影响了执法部门根据大麻气味进行搜查的可能原因. Now that hemp is legal, 如果一名警官根据大麻的气味停车搜查一辆车, the odor may actually be hemp and thus not illegal.
执法机构和州检察官正在修改他们的政策，以适应佛罗里达州法律的变化.
佛罗里达公路巡警指示巡警遵循“气味加标准”来确定搜查的可能原因. A memorandum issued on July 3, 2019 directs Troopers to continue to conduct cannabis investigations, but not to rely solely on odor for conducting a search. The memo gives the following example: While conducting a traffic stop, if you detect the odor of cannabis emanating from the vehicle, Prior to searching, you should ask the subject, "Do you have any marijuana or hemp in the vehicle?如果目标回答“否”，那么你就已经达到了扣留和搜查的门槛. If the subject answers .. Yes", then you need to determine if it is marijuana or hemp. If the subject advises it is marijuana, 然后你必须确定大麻是否合法获得(医用大麻). If the subject has illegal marijuana. Then you may now detain and search.”
The memo goes on to state: “气味加标准”要求骑警除了获得大麻的气味(燃烧的或新鲜的)以外，还要获得间接证据，以确定搜查车辆的可能原因. 骑警应在其统一的犯罪报告叙述/逮捕报告中阐明所有具体观察结果. 以下是可用于确定可能原因的“气味加标准”的一些例子:
•在最初接触期间承认拥有受控物质或拒绝拥有大麻
• Visual observation -plain view / plain feel of an illegal substance
• Any other illegal activity / conduct
• Conflicting or nonsensical statements by suspect or passenger
•欺骗、手颤抖、紧张、避免眼神接触的迹象
• Furtive movements
•破坏、丢弃或与物体/物质保持距离
• Signs of impairment (driving pattern, bloodshot or watery eyes, slurred speech, delayed reaction/responses)
• A large amount of currency and/or currency bundled, 用与非法麻醉品活动相一致的方式用橡胶带或包装的
• Masking agents
• Drug Paraphernalia (scales, baggies, or other paraphernalia when combined with other factors on list)
• Weapon / firearm
•如果在拦截和随后的搜查之前知道犯罪记录(更多地适用于确定材料是否为大麻或大麻，而不是搜查的可能原因)
•在拦截和搜查之前提供有关非法活动的信息/情报
Presumptive Testing and Arrests
目前的现场测试套件不具备区分合法大麻和大麻的能力. illegal cannabis. 骑警不能使用当前的四氢大麻酚现场测试工具作为逮捕的唯一可能原因. 佛罗里达高速公路巡逻队正在获得能够区分合法大麻和大麻的特定现场测试套件. Once the new THC field test kit is acquired, it will be able to distinguish between legal hemp and cannabis, 士兵们将能够使用现场测试套件作为推定测试. When using the new THC field test kit, 骑警应在统一的犯罪报告/逮捕报告中证明大麻被推定为“1%或更高的D-9 THC浓度”, evidence property receipts and other documentation.
Until the new THC test kit is acquired, if a felony amount of cannabis is found, 在骑兵与部队法律顾问协商之前，不得进行拘留逮捕. At this time, 任何骑警都不能因为少量的疑似大麻而进行拘留逮捕.
If, based on the trooper's investigation, there is a reasonable belief that the material is illegal cannabis, 骑警应查封疑似大麻以作进一步调查和/或检测. 如果有可能的理由证明被扣押的材料是大麻而不是大麻, charges will be direct filed with the local State Attorney's Office.”
其他执法机构和州检察官也在修改政策和程序，因为新的大麻法.
The State Attorney in Palm Beach county explained in a memo, “如果没有经过认可实验室的检测，表明四氢大麻酚含量已经超标，我们将无法起诉任何大麻或四氢大麻酚油的案件 .3%,” the memo says. 每个执法机构及其法律顾问都需要决定何时扣押疑似大麻或四氢大麻酚油，以及何时进行逮捕. Until now, 大麻的气味给了警察搜查车辆的合理理由，而不用去法院申请搜查令.
“如果没有1%的检测结果呈阳性，我们将无法提起诉讼, 该机构承诺将为私人机构的定量测试支付费用, accredited lab,”
在发给塞米诺尔县和布里瓦德县所有执法机构的备忘录中, State Attorney Phil Archer said that, while out-of-state options to test for THC concentration “may exist,将缴获的大麻送到佛罗里达州以外的实验室，并请专家证人在法庭上作证的成本，使得这些选择“在除最严重的案件外的所有案件中都是令人望而却步的”.” “Therefore, 基于我们在起诉大麻案件时必须克服的证据障碍和快速审判限制, 在提出任何与大麻有关的指控之前，州检察官办公室将要求提供实验室测试结果,”
What does all this mean? Things will be confusing for a while. We will probably see more motions to suppress bad stops, 执法机构和州检察官将继续调整他们的“基于气味的可能原因”搜索和起诉政策. We can expect Miranda problems and concerns with citizens’ 5th 当警官和代表开始询问更多关于大麻的问题时，修正案有权保持沉默, marijuana and medical marijuana prescriptions. 随着这些问题的争论和诉讼，我们可能会看到新的判例法.
Sources: Palm Beach Post; 棕榈滩县检察官戴夫·阿伦伯格提醒警方注意:既然大麻在佛罗里达州是合法的，逮捕大麻将会很困难., author John Pacenti
Florida Highway Patrol Memorandum July 3, 2019 Immediate Impact of the Hemp Law
Orlando Sentinel, 佛罗里达州的新大麻法正在改变塞米诺尔、布里瓦德检察官处理大麻犯罪的方式, author Michael Williams