Alabama
CANNABIS DISPENSARY REGULATIONS FOR ALABAMA
The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission is in charge of the cannabis industry in Alabama.
Every applicant seeking a medical marijuana business license in Alabama is required to pay a non-refundable fee of $2,500 to open a dispensary. If an applicant’s license application is approved, they must then pay a $40,000 license fee.
As of September 1, 2022, the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) began accepting license applications from various types of medical marijuana businesses, including growers, processors, transporters, testing facilities, dispensaries, and integrated businesses. The AMCC expects to issue licenses by the summer of 2023, with medical marijuana products becoming available by the end of this year or early 2024.
Initially, up to 37 dispensaries may operate in cities and counties that have passed resolutions or laws allowing them. The process of authorizing dispensaries is already underway.
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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.