Alabama
CANNABIS DISPENSARY REGULATIONS FOR ALABAMA
The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) continues to oversee the state’s medical cannabis program, but its implementation has faced significant delays due to ongoing litigation. As of August 2024, the AMCC has awarded some cultivation licenses, including to Pure by Sirmon Farms, LLC and Blackberry Farms, LLC, following recommendations from an administrative law judge.
The program, when fully implemented, will allow certified patients to use medical cannabis for 15 qualifying conditions, including cancer, chronic pain, Crohn’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and depression. Patients will need a card to obtain cannabis from licensed dispensers. The law prohibits smoking or consuming cannabis in food, offering it instead in forms like tablets, oils, creams, and gummies.
However, a Montgomery Circuit Court judge has issued a temporary restraining order blocking the AMCC from issuing dispensary and integrated facility licenses. This legal action stems from challenges to the AMCC’s licensing process, with some companies alleging that the commission did not follow its own scoring and ranking rules.
The licensing structure includes various categories such as cultivation, processing, dispensing, transporting, and testing. The law also allows for integrated licenses, permitting firms to grow, process, and dispense marijuana under one roof.
Despite these setbacks, the AMCC continues to work towards program implementation. The commission has requested that the court lift or modify the temporary restraining orders preventing investigative hearings for certain license categories.
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CANNABIS LEGALIZATION HISTORY IN ALABAMA
Alabama has a limited history with cannabis legalization. In 2014, the state passed a law allowing for the use of cannabidiol (CBD) oil for medical purposes, but the law remained restrictive and limited access to only a small number of conditions.
Since then, there have been efforts to expand access to medical cannabis in the state. In 2019, a bill was signed into law allowing for the creation of a Medical Cannabis Study Commission to study and make recommendations on medical cannabis policy in the state.
In May 2021, the state passed a law legalizing medical cannabis, which allows qualified patients to purchase and possess medical cannabis for certain conditions. However, the law remains restrictive, with limited access and only certain forms of medical cannabis allowed. Efforts to legalize recreational cannabis in Alabama have so far been unsuccessful. The state remains relatively conservative in its approach to drug policy, and possession of cannabis remains illegal in most circumstances.
Overall, Alabama’s cannabis policy remains limited, with only medical cannabis legal in the state. While there have been some recent efforts to expand access to medical cannabis, ongoing concerns about access and affordability suggest that there is still significant work to be done to ensure that patients have access to the care they need.