Between Towers and Waves: Residents Reflect on Cannabis Culture in Sunny Isles

Sunny Isles Beach—renowned for its sun-soaked skyline of high-rise hotels, cultural diversity, and a nickname fondly dubbed “Little Moscow”—finds itself navigating the shifting tides of cannabis culture. While medical cannabis has been legal statewide since Florida’s 2016 constitutional Amendment 2 passed with strong support, recreational use remains illegal, even as decriminalization inches forward in pockets of Miami-Dade.

State law still views recreational cultivation and possession as criminal offenses; possession of up to 20 grams is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine up to $1,000; greater quantities carry felony charges. The county adopted civil citations decades ago, offering fines or community service for small amounts—but recent moves, like Miami Beach’s removal of civil citations for under-20-gram possession, signal evolving enforcement policy.

Despite legal hurdles, legal medical cannabis has firmly established its place in the local economy. Florence, a boutique-hotel concierge, notes that “medical marijuana is as commonplace as yoga classes and vitamin shops these days,” reflecting broader cultural shifts. The Miami metropolitan area—including Sunny Isles—is part of a booming cannabis landscape; Florida ranked third nationwide in cannabis sales in 2020, with over $1.2 billion in revenue from medical use alone.

There are signs of normalization through convenience too: though no dispensaries are located within Sunny Isles’ narrow strip, nearby North Miami Beach is home to outlets like Jungle Boys and Trulieve. Local resident families and snowbirds report no dramatic controversies—many see medical cannabis as “just another health option.”

Yet, opinions remain mixed. A local mother, speaking anonymously, worries that “what starts as medical access becomes social acceptance,” especially among youth. Public safety officials echo those apprehensions; statewide, the Florida Sheriffs Association and Police Chiefs Association have opposed recreational legalization, citing potential increases in impaired driving and youth use.

Still, political currents continue to shift. The recent Amendment 3 initiative for recreational access gained majority support, though it narrowly failed to reach the 60 percent supermajority required in the November 2024 vote. The widespread support—from diverse demographic groups—suggests an underlying shift in public sentiment that could influence Sunny Isles conversations.

On Collins Avenue, a retiree stopping outside a café muses, “It’s legal for some, illegal for others—it feels odd, but I don’t see it everywhere. It’s quiet, private, not a headline.” This sentiment encapsulates the perception: cannabis exists in a cautious cultural in-between—legal in select contexts, socially tolerated in others, but not yet fully normalized.

In Sunny Isles Beach, cannabis culture quietly traverses this gray zone. Accessibility through medical channels and local availability nearby contribute to greater familiarity, but legal restrictions and public concern—especially around youth and safety—temper full normalization. The community’s relationship with cannabis might be evolving, yet remains delicately balanced between acceptance and caution.