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Law Alabama

momofthegoons

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Alabama Could Legalize Medical Marijuana Under Bill Filed By Republican Senator


A Republican senator in Alabama has once again filed a bill to legalize medical marijuana, and advocates think 2021 might be the year that the state finally moves to allow patients to access cannabis.

Sen. Tim Melson (R) introduced the legislation, which would allow people with qualifying conditions to access cannabis for therapeutic purposes. He’s the same lawmaker who sponsored a similar bill that was approved by the Senate last year but which later died without a House vote amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Under the new proposal, an 11-member Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission would be established to implement regulations and oversee licensing.

To qualify for the program, patients would have to be diagnosed with one of about 20 conditions, including anxiety, sleep disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and intractable pain. Regulators would not be able to independently add additional conditions, leaving that decision up to lawmakers.

One problematic provision from advocates’ perspective is that, for patients with chronic or intractable pain, they could only be recommended medical marijuana in cases where “conventional therapeutic intervention and opiate therapy is contraindicated or has proved ineffective.”

Patients would be allowed to purchase and possess up to “70 daily dosages of medical cannabis.” The commission would determine what that limit is, but it could not exceed 75 milligrams per dose.

The bill, which has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, prohibits raw cannabis, smoking, vaping and candy or baked good products. Patients would instead be allowed to purchase capsules, lozenges, oils, suppositories and topical patches.

It also calls for a nine percent gross proceeds tax on medical marijuana sales. After covering implementation costs, 60 percent of revenue would go to the state’s general fund and 30 percent would go to research into the medical potential of cannabis.

Patients, caregivers and and medical cannabis businesses would receive legal protections under the proposal, preventing them from being penalized for activities authorized by the state.

For physicians to be able to recommend cannabis to patients, they would have to complete a four-hour continuing education course and pass an exam. The course would cost upwards of $500 and doctors would also be required to take refresher classes every two years.

“While it’s encouraging to see Alabama seriously considering medical cannabis legislation, we recommend a number of revisions to SB 46 to better serve patients,” Karen O’Keefe, director of state policies for the Marijuana Policy Project, told Marijuana Moment.

“For example, patients should not be steered to far more dangerous opiates first, as the bill currently does,” she said. “In addition, the burden on doctors should be reduced to avoid dramatically depressing participation and leaving large numbers of patients behind.”

Under the bill, regulators would be tasked with developing restrictions on advertising and setting quality control standards. Seed-to-sale tracking and laboratory testing would be mandated.

Applications for cannabis business licenses would have to be accepted starting September 1, 2022 and then proceeded within 60 days.

The commission would be required to approve at least four cultivators, up to four processors, up to four dispensaries for the first year of implementation (more could be approved after that point depending on demand) and as many as five vertically integrated operators.

Many of the provisions are consistent with what the Senate approved in March 2020. But given the splurge of amendments that were introduced as it moved through that chamber in the last session, more revisions could be proposed as the bill advances this year.

This bill’s reintroduction has been a long time coming. The Senate approved a separate medical cannabis bill in 2019, but the House later severely compromised it. The legislation as enacted would not have legalized patient access; rather, it set up a study commission to explore the issue and make recommendations.

The commission came back with its report in December 2019, with members recommending that medical marijuana be legalized.

The Senate’s president voted against medical cannabis in 2020 but said he is open to letting the issue advance again in the new session. Meanwhile, the House speaker said that “if the bill comes up and it has proper restrictions in it, then I’m open to at least debating it.”

There could be additional pressure on the legislature to enact legalization given that voters in neighboring Mississippi approved a medical cannabis reform initiative during the November election.

Meanwhile, lawmakers in other traditionally conservative states—such as Kentucky and South Carolina—are positioned to potentially advance medical cannabis this year as a number of other states consider broader recreational marijuana legalization.

Read the new Alabama medical marijuana legalization bill by following title link and scrolling to the bottom of the article.
 

Alabama Senate Committee Approves Medical Marijuana Legalization Bill


A key Alabama Senate committee on Wednesday approved a bill to legalize medical marijuana, sending it to the full floor for consideration.

The legislation, introduced last week by Sen. Tim Melson (R), would allow people with qualifying conditions to access cannabis for therapeutic purposes. It cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee 8-3 after a very brief discussion and now heads to the full chamber.

Melson is the same lawmaker who sponsored a similar bill that was approved by the full Senate last year but which later died without a House vote amid the coronavirus pandemic.

This latest proposal would establish an 11-member Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission to implement regulations and oversee licensing.

To qualify for the program, patients would have to be diagnosed with one of about 20 conditions, including anxiety, sleep disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and intractable pain. Regulators would not be able to independently add additional conditions, leaving that decision up to lawmakers.


#JUSTIN The medical marijuana bill passed the committee 8-3. Now heads to the Senate floor.
— Lydia Nusbaum (@LydiaNusbaum) February 3, 2021


Advocates say they’re encouraged that medical cannabis reform is advancing in Alabama, but they’ve raised concerns about a number of aspects of the bill.

One problematic provision, they say, is that patients with chronic or intractable pain could only be recommended medical marijuana in cases where “conventional therapeutic intervention and opiate therapy is contraindicated or has proved ineffective.”

The bill also prohibits raw cannabis, smoking, vaping and candy or baked good products. Patients would instead be allowed to purchase capsules, lozenges, oils, suppositories and topical patches.

“It’s encouraging to see lawmakers making progress towards legalizing medical marijuana in Alabama,” Karen O’Keefe, state policies director for the Marijuana Policy Project, told Marijuana Moment. “It is morally wrong to continue to treat Alabamans who suffer from serious medical conditions as criminals for using a substance that is now legal in 36 states. However, we urge lawmakers to revise the provisions of the bill that create significant barriers for patients and their physicians.”

Patients would be allowed to purchase and possess up to “70 daily dosages of medical cannabis.” The commission would determine what that limit is, but it could not exceed 75 milligrams per dose.

It also calls for a nine percent gross proceeds tax on medical marijuana sales. After covering implementation costs, 60 percent of revenue would go to the state’s general fund and 30 percent would go to research into the medical potential of cannabis.

Patients, caregivers and and medical cannabis businesses would receive legal protections under the proposal, preventing them from being penalized for activities authorized by the state.

For physicians to be able to recommend cannabis to patients, they would have to complete a four-hour continuing education course and pass an exam. The course would cost upwards of $500 and doctors would also be required to take refresher classes every two years.

Under the bill, regulators would be tasked with developing restrictions on advertising and setting quality control standards. Seed-to-sale tracking and laboratory testing would be mandated.

Applications for cannabis business licenses would have to be accepted starting September 1, 2022 and then proceeded within 60 days.

The commission would be required to approve at least four cultivators, up to four processors, up to four dispensaries for the first year of implementation (more could be approved after that point depending on demand) and as many as five vertically integrated operators.

Many of the provisions are consistent with what the Senate approved in March 2020. But given the splurge of amendments that were introduced as it moved through that chamber in the last session, more revisions could be proposed as the bill advances this year.

This bill’s reintroduction has been greatly anticipated by advocates. The Senate approved a separate medical cannabis bill in 2019, but the House later severely compromised it. The legislation as enacted would not have legalized patient access; rather, it set up a study commission to explore the issue and make recommendations.

The commission came back with its report in December 2019, with members recommending that medical marijuana be legalized.

The Senate’s president voted against medical cannabis in 2020 but said he is open to letting the issue advance again in the new session. Meanwhile, the House speaker said that “if the bill comes up and it has proper restrictions in it, then I’m open to at least debating it.”

There could be additional pressure on the legislature to enact legalization given that voters in neighboring Mississippi approved a medical cannabis reform initiative during the November election.
 

Alabama House Committee Approves Medical Marijuana Legalization Bill Already Passed The Senate


A Senate-passed bill to legalize medical marijuana in Alabama cleared a key House committee on Wednesday, but not before members also approved a number of amendments to the proposal.

The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Tim Melson (R), would allow people with qualifying conditions to access cannabis for therapeutic purposes. The Senate approved the proposal last month, and now the House Judiciary Committee has advanced it in voice vote.

The measure will now head to the House Health Committee before moving to the floor.

Melson is the same lawmaker who sponsored a similar bill that was approved by the full Senate last year but which later died without a House vote amid the coronavirus pandemic.

This latest proposal would establish an Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission to implement regulations and oversee licensing.

To qualify for the program, patients would have to be diagnosed with one of about 20 conditions, including anxiety, sleep disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and intractable pain. Regulators would not be able to independently add additional conditions, leaving that decision up to lawmakers.

The Judiciary Committee approved 10 amendments on Wednesday. Here’s what they would do:

-Require regulators to hold a local public hearing before issuing a marijuana business license.

-Eliminate reciprocity for out-of-state patients, meaning those approved for medical cannabis outside of Alabama would not have their recommendations accepted in the state.

-Allow a state health officer to appoint one member to the cannabis regulatory commission.

-Reduce the percentage of marijuana tax revenue that would go to cannabis research from 30 to 15 percent.

-Require a review of the state’s contract for a seed-to-sale tracking company every five years.

-Allow all licensed physicians and pharmacists to have access to the seed-to-sale tracking and patient databases.

-Let municipalities hold votes to opt out of allowing marijuana businesses in their areas. Counties could make the same determination for unincorporated regions.

-Clarify the definition of who constitutes a cannabis caregiver with respect to age and relationship to the patient.

-Clarify that the bill’s “intent” is to create a medical marijuana program and should not be interpreted as an opening for recreational legalization.

-Add transparency requirements for cannabis business applicants.

Advocates say they’re encouraged that medical cannabis reform is advancing in Alabama, but they’ve raised concerns about a number of aspects of the bill.
 

Alabama Medical Marijuana Bill Moves Closer To Floor Vote With House Committee Action


An Alabama House committee on Wednesday amended a medical marijuana legalization bill that already passed the Senate. Members also took public testimony in advance of an expected Thursday vote to send the revised legislation to the House floor.

This hearing of the House Health Committee comes one week after a separate panel in the body amended and cleared the bill.

Sponsored by Sen. Tim Melson (R), the legislation would allow people with qualifying conditions to access cannabis for therapeutic purposes. The full Senate approved the bill last month.

“I just want to take [cannabis] to the patients that need it. I want to see people get relief,” the senator said at the meeting. He also made the case that allowing legal access can mitigate opioid overdose deaths.

Melson is the same lawmaker who sponsored similar legislation that was approved by the full Senate last year but which later died without any House votes amid the coronavirus pandemic.

This latest proposal would establish an Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission to implement regulations and oversee licensing.

To qualify for the program, patients would have to be diagnosed with one of about 20 conditions, including anxiety, sleep disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and intractable pain. Regulators would not be able to independently add additional conditions, leaving that decision up to lawmakers.

The House Judiciary Committee approved 10 amendments to the legislation during last week’s hearing. For example, members agreed to scrap provisions providing reciprocity for out-of-state patients and reducing the percentage of marijuana tax revenue that would go to cannabis research from 30 to 15 percent.

Those amendments were integrated into a new substitute version of the bill adopted by the Health panel, with additional revisions such as removing anxiety and adding depression and Parkinson’s disease as qualifying conditions for medical cannabis. The committee voted to accept the substitute version for consideration before going into testimony.

Time was evenly divided between supporters and opponents. By and large, the conversation revolved around personal anecdotes about the medical benefits and risks of marijuana.

More amendments were added following the testimony. One change would add an annual registration fee for physicians who recommend cannabis. Another would give the state attorney general’s office access to a patient registry database.

Members further approved an amendment to remove fibromyalgia and menopause from the list of qualifying conditions and another to expand the number of institutions that are eligible for grants to research marijuana. A revision to develop a uniform flavor for all cannabis products was also accepted.

Additionally, an amendment was approved to require dispensaries to have 24-hour security cameras operating in their facilities. These changes are all being added to a new substitute that the panel will take up and vote on Thursday.

Because the proposal has been amended, it would go back to the Senate for final consideration if it’s passed in the House before being sent to the governor’s desk.

Advocates say they’re encouraged that medical cannabis reform is advancing in Alabama, but they’ve raised concerns about a number of aspects of the bill.

One problematic provision, advocates say, is that patients with chronic or intractable pain could only be recommended medical marijuana in cases where “conventional therapeutic intervention and opiate therapy is contraindicated or has proved ineffective.”

The bill also prohibits raw cannabis, smoking, vaping and candy or baked good products. Patients would instead be allowed to purchase capsules, lozenges, oils, suppositories and topical patches.

Patients would be allowed to purchase and possess up to “70 daily dosages of medical cannabis.” Under an amendment approved on the Senate floor, the maximum daily dose was reduced from 75 to 50 milligrams. However, the amendment’s sponsor said it could be increased to 75 milligrams in some circumstances.

The revision also calls for a label on marijuana products to indicate that cannabis can cause drowsiness.

It also calls for a nine percent gross proceeds tax on medical marijuana sales.

Patients, caregivers and and medical cannabis businesses would receive legal protections under the proposal, preventing them from being penalized for activities authorized by the state.

For physicians to be able to recommend cannabis to patients, they would have to complete a four-hour continuing education course and pass an exam. The course would cost upwards of $500 and doctors would also be required to take refresher classes every two years.

Under the bill, regulators would be tasked with developing restrictions on advertising and setting quality control standards. Seed-to-sale tracking and laboratory testing would be mandated.

Other changes approved in the Senate would add language to stipulate that gelatinous cannabis products cannot be sugar coated and insert provisions promoting good manufacturing practices and tamper-evident packaging.

Applications for cannabis business licenses would have to be accepted starting September 1, 2022 and then proceeded within 60 days.

The commission would be required to approve at least four cultivators, up to four processors, up to four dispensaries for the first year of implementation (more could be approved after that point depending on demand) and as many as five vertically integrated operators.

This bill’s reintroduction has been greatly anticipated by advocates. The Senate approved a separate medical cannabis bill in 2019, but the House later severely compromised it. The legislation as enacted would not have legalized patient access; rather, it set up a study commission to explore the issue and make recommendations.

The commission came back with its report in December 2019, with members recommending that medical marijuana be legalized.

There could be additional pressure on the legislature to enact legalization given that voters in neighboring Mississippi approved a medical cannabis reform initiative during the November election.

Separately, the Alabama Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bill last month to decriminalize possession of up to two ounces of cannabis, making it punishable by a $250 fine without the threat of jail time.
 

Alabama Medical Marijuana Bill Gets Filibustered On House Floor


A medical marijuana bill that has already passed the Alabama Senate was filibustered on the House floor on Tuesday.

After previously clearing two House committees last month, the measure came to the floor for consideration—but a small number of opponents drew out the process by making a series of speeches and asking questions until the end of the day’s session at midnight approached.

Supporters believe the legislation could be brought up again on Thursday. If it does clear the House it will have to go back to the Senate again so the originating body can consider changes that have recently been made.

Sponsored by Sen. Tim Melson (R), the bill would allow people with qualifying conditions to access cannabis for therapeutic purposes. The full Senate approved the legislation in March.

Melson is the same lawmaker who sponsored similar legislation that was approved by the full Senate last year but which later died without any House votes amid the coronavirus pandemic.

This latest proposal, SB 46, would establish an Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission to implement regulations and oversee licensing.

To qualify for the program, patients would have to be diagnosed with one of about 20 conditions, including anxiety, sleep disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and intractable pain. Regulators would not be able to independently add additional conditions, leaving that decision up to lawmakers.

The House Judiciary Committee approved 10 amendments to the legislation during last month’s hearing. For example, members agreed to scrap provisions providing reciprocity for out-of-state patients and reducing the percentage of marijuana tax revenue that would go to cannabis research from 30 to 15 percent.

Later, in the Health Committee, members approved a change that would add an annual registration fee for physicians who recommend cannabis. Another would give the state attorney general’s office access to a patient registry database.

That panel further accepted an amendment to remove fibromyalgia and menopause from the list of qualifying conditions and another to expand the number of institutions that are eligible for grants to research marijuana. A revision to develop a uniform flavor for all cannabis products was also attached.

Additionally, an amendment was approved to require dispensaries to have 24-hour security cameras operating in their facilities.

Advocates say they’re encouraged that medical cannabis reform is advancing in Alabama, but they’ve raised concerns about a number of aspects of the bill.

One problematic provision, advocates say, is that patients with chronic or intractable pain could only be recommended medical marijuana in cases where “conventional therapeutic intervention and opiate therapy is contraindicated or has proved ineffective.”

The bill also prohibits raw cannabis, smoking, vaping and candy or baked good products. Patients would instead be allowed to purchase capsules, lozenges, oils, suppositories and topical patches.

Patients would be allowed to purchase and possess up to “70 daily dosages of medical cannabis.” Under an amendment approved on the Senate floor, the maximum daily dose was reduced from 75 to 50 milligrams. However, the amendment’s sponsor said it could be increased to 75 milligrams in some circumstances.

The revision also calls for a label on marijuana products to indicate that cannabis can cause drowsiness.

It also calls for a nine percent gross proceeds tax on medical marijuana sales.

Patients, caregivers and and medical cannabis businesses would receive legal protections under the proposal, preventing them from being penalized for activities authorized by the state.

For physicians to be able to recommend cannabis to patients, they would have to complete a four-hour continuing education course and pass an exam. The course would cost upwards of $500 and doctors would also be required to take refresher classes every two years.

Under the bill, regulators would be tasked with developing restrictions on advertising and setting quality control standards. Seed-to-sale tracking and laboratory testing would be mandated.

Other changes approved earlier in the Senate would add language to stipulate that gelatinous cannabis products cannot be sugar coated and insert provisions promoting good manufacturing practices and tamper-evident packaging.

Applications for cannabis business licenses would have to be accepted starting September 1, 2022 and then proceeded within 60 days.

The commission would be required to approve at least four cultivators, up to four processors, up to four dispensaries for the first year of implementation (more could be approved after that point depending on demand) and as many as five vertically integrated operators.

This bill’s reintroduction had been greatly anticipated by advocates. The Senate approved a separate medical cannabis bill in 2019, but the House later severely compromised it. The legislation as enacted would not have legalized patient access; rather, it set up a study commission to explore the issue and make recommendations.

The commission came back with its report in December 2019, with members recommending that medical marijuana be legalized.

There has been additional pressure on the legislature to enact legalization given that voters in neighboring Mississippi approved a medical cannabis reform initiative during the November election.

Separately, the Alabama Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bill in March to decriminalize possession of up to two ounces of cannabis, making it punishable by a $250 fine without the threat of jail time. But the measure later failed a procedural motion on the Senate floor.
 

Alabama Medical Marijuana Bill Heads To Governor’s Desk Following Legislature’s Approval


A bill to legalize medical marijuana in Alabama is headed to the governor’s desk following its passage by the legislature.

After clearing two House committees last month, the measure passed the full chamber by a vote of 68-34 on Thursday. The Senate, which had previously approved an earlier version of the legislation in March, then signed off on the other body’s changes in a 20-9 vote.

The win came after opponents staged a lengthy filibuster on the House floor earlier this week, drawing out the process by making a series of speeches and asking questions until the end of the day’s session at midnight approached. Those stalling tactics did not continue on Thursday, however.

Sponsored by Sen. Tim Melson (R), the bill would allow people with qualifying conditions to access cannabis for therapeutic purposes.

To qualify for the program, patients would have to be diagnosed with one of about 20 conditions, including anxiety, sleep disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and intractable pain. Regulators would not be able to independently add additional conditions, leaving that decision up to lawmakers in future sessions.

Gov. Kay Ivey (R) has not said whether she will sign or veto the bill.

Prior to its vote on final passage on Thursday, the House considered several floor amendments.

The body rejected proposals to place a limit of 10 milligrams of THC per dose for medical cannabis products, to remove depression as a qualifying condition and to enact a zero tolerance policy for drivers with THC in their systems. Another amendment that would have repealed the state program if marijuana is federally rescheduled, so that people would get medical cannabis from pharmacies instead of dispensaries, was also defeated.

Lawmakers did accept an amendment changing local control provisions from opt out to make it so that cities and counties would have to opt in to allowing medical cannabis businesses. They also made a change to name the bill after the deceased son of a lawmaker who previously sponsored medical marijuana legislation.

Melson is the same lawmaker who sponsored similar legislation that was approved by the full Senate last year but which later died without any House votes amid the coronavirus pandemic.

This latest proposal, SB 46, would establish an Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission to implement regulations and oversee licensing.

The House Judiciary Committee approved 10 amendments to the legislation during a hearing last month. For example, members agreed to scrap provisions providing reciprocity for out-of-state patients and reducing the percentage of marijuana tax revenue that would go to cannabis research from 30 to 15 percent.

Later, in the Health Committee, members approved a change that would add an annual registration fee for physicians who recommend cannabis. Another would give the state attorney general’s office access to a patient registry database.

That panel further accepted an amendment to remove fibromyalgia and menopause from the list of qualifying conditions and another to expand the number of institutions that are eligible for grants to research marijuana. A revision to develop a uniform flavor for all cannabis products was also attached.

Additionally, an amendment was approved to require dispensaries to have 24-hour security cameras operating in their facilities.

Advocates say they’re encouraged that medical cannabis reform is advancing in Alabama, but they’ve raised concerns about a number of aspects of the bill.

One problematic provision, advocates say, is that patients with chronic or intractable pain could only be recommended medical marijuana in cases where “conventional therapeutic intervention and opiate therapy is contraindicated or has proved ineffective.”

The bill also prohibits raw cannabis, smoking, vaping and candy or baked good products. Patients would instead be allowed to purchase capsules, lozenges, oils, suppositories and topical patches.

Patients would be allowed to purchase and possess up to “70 daily dosages of medical cannabis.” Under an amendment approved on the Senate floor, the maximum daily dose was reduced from 75 to 50 milligrams. However, the amendment’s sponsor said it could be increased to 75 milligrams in some circumstances.

The revision also calls for a label on marijuana products to indicate that cannabis can cause drowsiness.

It also calls for a nine percent gross proceeds tax on medical marijuana sales.

Patients, caregivers and and medical cannabis businesses would receive legal protections under the proposal, preventing them from being penalized for activities authorized by the state.

For physicians to be able to recommend cannabis to patients, they would have to complete a four-hour continuing education course and pass an exam. The course would cost upwards of $500 and doctors would also be required to take refresher classes every two years.

Under the bill, regulators would be tasked with developing restrictions on advertising and setting quality control standards. Seed-to-sale tracking and laboratory testing would be mandated.

Other changes approved earlier in the Senate would add language to stipulate that gelatinous cannabis products cannot be sugar coated and insert provisions promoting good manufacturing practices and tamper-evident packaging.

Applications for cannabis business licenses would have to be accepted starting September 1, 2022 and then proceeded within 60 days.

The commission would be required to approve at least four cultivators, up to four processors, up to four dispensaries for the first year of implementation (more could be approved after that point depending on demand) and as many as five vertically integrated operators.

This bill’s reintroduction had been greatly anticipated by advocates. The Senate approved a separate medical cannabis bill in 2019, but the House later severely compromised it. The legislation as enacted would not have legalized patient access; rather, it set up a study commission to explore the issue and make recommendations.

The commission came back with its report in December 2019, with members recommending that medical marijuana be legalized.

There has been additional pressure on the legislature to enact legalization given that voters in neighboring Mississippi approved a medical cannabis reform initiative during the November election.

Separately, the Alabama Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bill in March to decriminalize possession of up to two ounces of cannabis, making it punishable by a $250 fine without the threat of jail time. But the measure later failed a procedural motion on the Senate floor.
 
"Oral tablets and tinctures, topicals, transdermal patches, gummy cubes, lozenges, liquids for inhalers, and suppositories are specifically allowed. Herbal or smokable forms of cannabis and edibles such as baked goods and candies are not legalized by the new law."

Another Potemkin Village of a MMJ law and I find it very hard to applaud this BS.

Alabama Medical Marijuana Legalization Bill, SB 46, Signed By Governor Kay Ivey


Republican Gov. Kay Ivey of Alabama signed a bill on Monday that legalizes the medicinal use of cannabis in the state. The measure, Senate Bill 46, was passed by the Alabama House of Representatives earlier this month after being approved by the state Senate in February. The Alabama medical marijuana legalization measure goes into effect immediately, although providers will have to be licensed by the state before legal medicinal cannabis sales begin.
“This is certainly a sensitive and emotional issue and something that is continually being studied,” Ivey said in a statement about the legislation. “On the state level, we have had a study group that has looked closely at this issue, and I am interested in the potential good medical cannabis can have for those with chronic illnesses or what it can do to improve the quality of life of those in their final days.”
Under the newly signed Alabama medical marijuana bill, doctors are now permitted to recommend cannabis for their patients with one of about a dozen serious medical conditions including seizures; spasticity associated with certain diseases or spinal cord injuries; anxiety or panic disorder; and terminal illnesses. Qualifying patients with a physician’s recommendation will receive a medical marijuana identification card from the state. The new law permits registered patients to possess up to “70 daily dosages” of medical cannabis at one time, with each dose a maximum of 50 milligrams.

The Alabama medical marijuana measure also establishes a state Medical Cannabis Commission, which would be responsible for issuing licenses for the cultivation, processing, distribution, transportation, lab testing, and dispensing of medical marijuana. The commission will also maintain a seed-to-sale tracking system to monitor the production, distribution, and sale of regulated cannabis products as they travel from cultivator to patient.
The medicinal cannabis products permitted by the measure are tightly regulated. Oral tablets and tinctures, topicals, transdermal patches, gummy cubes, lozenges, liquids for inhalers, and suppositories are specifically allowed. Herbal or smokable forms of cannabis and edibles such as baked goods and candies are not legalized by the new law.

Cannabis Advocates React To New Alabama Medical Marijuana Law

“This measure is an important first step for Alabamans. As written, this program is limited in its ability to sufficiently address the real-world needs of patients — many of whom receive maximum benefit from inhaling cannabis flower rather than oral formulations, which are often far slower acting and more variable in their effects,” Carly Wolf, the state policies manager for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), said in a statement.
“Furthermore, we reject the notion that cannabis should be a treatment of ‘last resort.’ That said, this law begins the process of providing Alabamans, for the first time, with a safe, legal, and consistent source of medicine,” Wolf continued. “In the coming months and years, we anticipate and hope that lawmakers will continue to expand this access in a manner that puts patients’ interest first.”

The Darren Wesley “Ato” Hall Compassion Act, as SB46 is also known, was introduced in the Alabama Senate by Sen. Tim Melson, a Republican who is also a medical researcher and anesthesiologist. He believes that existing evidence supports giving the residents of Alabama the right to choose to use medical marijuana, especially when more traditional treatments have not been effective.

“I was skeptical five years ago,” Melson said. “I started listening to patients instead of the biased people, and this is where we’re at today.”
Karen O’Keefe, director of state policies at the Marijuana Policy Project, said in a statement that the passage of SB 46 is “a major step forward for Alabamians.”
“Rather than being subjected to arrest and criminal penalties for using medical cannabis, this new law will enable patients who are suffering from illnesses and medical conditions to safely use and access medical cannabis, a treatment option that is accessible to so many of their fellow Americans,” said O’Keefe. “We applaud the legislature for passing and Gov. Ivey for signing the Compassion Act.”
 
"Oral tablets and tinctures, topicals, transdermal patches, gummy cubes, lozenges, liquids for inhalers, and suppositories are specifically allowed. Herbal or smokable forms of cannabis and edibles such as baked goods and candies are not legalized by the new law."

So, I can stuff it up my ass but I can't vape, smoke, or really even get flower. FFS

Applying for a License to Dispense Medical Cannabis in Alabama

Alabama became the 36th state to allow cannabis for medical use when Gov. Kay Ivey signed into law the Darren Wesley ‘Ato’ Hall Compassion Act on May 17, 2021. The act establishes a process through which applicants will compete for a limited number of licenses in the following categories: (1) cultivator; (2) processor; (3) dispensary; and (4) “integrated facility” (which can cultivate, process, transport, and dispense medical cannabis under one license), as well as a to-be-determined number of licenses for secure transporters and testing laboratories. A 14-member Medical Cannabis Commission licenses and regulates the medical cannabis program, with input from the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries on cultivation matters. The act requires that the Commission and the department adopt regulations that allow license applications by September 1, 2022.
This article provides an overview of the requirements for obtaining a dispensary license, and is part of a series of similar overviews for the other five license categories.

What is a dispensary license?

A dispensary license authorizes the licensee to: (1) purchase and transfer cannabis from a processor, integrated facility, or cultivator, if the cultivator contracted with a processor to process its cannabis on the cultivator’s behalf; and (2) dispense and sell medical cannabis to a registered qualified patient or registered caregiver.

How many dispensary licenses will be issued?

The act authorizes the Commission to issue four dispensary licenses. At least one license must be awarded to a business entity that is 51%+ owned by individuals of “African American, Native American, Asian, or Hispanic descent,” and “managed and controlled” by such individuals “in its daily operations.” Each dispensary licensee may operate up to three dispensing sites, each of which must be in a different county from any other dispensing site and is subject to other restrictions.

What are the requirements for obtaining a dispensary license?

Applicants for a dispensary license must pay a non-refundable application fee of $2,500. Each “owner, shareholder, director, [and] board member” of an applicant, along with each “individual with an economic interest in an applicant,” must submit to a “state and national criminal background check.” If any “owner, director, board member, or individual with a controlling interest” has been “convicted of or released from incarceration for [any] felony” or “convicted of a controlled substance-related felony” within the last 10 years, the applicant is ineligible for a license.
The act requires that applicants include a bevy of information in their applications, including:
  • The identity of all individuals with “direct or indirect ownership interests” in the applicant.
  • The identity of entities that are involved in the cannabis industry and related to the applicant or individuals with an ownership interest in the applicant.
  • A complete criminal history of the applicant’s owners, directors, board members, and controlling shareholders.
  • The applicant’s anticipated or actual number of employees.
  • “Financial information” in the “manner and form” required by the Commission.
  • Records indicating “that a majority of ownership is attributable to an individual or individuals with proof of [Alabama] residence … for a continuous period of no less than 15 years preceding the application date.”
Under the act, licensees must maintain at least $2 million in “liability and casualty insurance” coverage, and the Commission may promulgate regulations that “establish minimum levels of other financial guarantees” that licensees must maintain. If an applicant fails to demonstrate its ability to meet these requirements, it cannot receive a license.
The act lists numerous criteria the Commission may use to evaluate license applications, including:
  • The applicant’s “ability to capitalize and conduct operations as proposed in its business plan, including business experience in related fields.”
  • Several other criteria aimed at the applicant’s financial backing and business acumen.
  • Any history of non-compliance with any regulatory requirements.
  • That the applicant’s “proposed location of all proposed medical cannabis facilities” are “suitable for all activities” and “not inconsistent with applicable zoning.”
  • The applicant’s “ability to serve an identifiable geographic area.”

Before issuing a license, the Commission must open a 30-day period during which anyone can submit “written comments regarding the applicant,” and the Commission is required to consider all comments received. If an applicant is denied a license, it can request that the Commission “provide a public investigative hearing at which the applicant is given the opportunity to present testimony and evidence to establish its suitability for a license.” The Commission must provide such a hearing upon request.
Each applicant (for all license types) must certify in its application that it “does not have an economic interest in any other [Alabama medical cannabis] license.” Licenses and ownership interests in licensed entities cannot be transferred absent approval by the Commission.

How competitive is the licensing process?

Alabama is not the first state to adopt a “limited license” regime for state-legal cannabis, and the experiences of predecessor states (including neighboring Florida) show the fight for licenses will be extremely competitive. Some of the most well-established cannabis operators in the country (and the world) will be applying for a small number of Alabama licenses. Further, the evaluation criteria for license applicants is largely subjective, and the evaluation process ensures that obtaining a license will be a question, in part, of influence.
 
I would think over time they will include flowers especially if they get new folks in legislature and as governor. The people of the state probably are complaining about it already. They can drive to another state and buy flowers or continue to buy illegally. Folks aren’t going to stop smoking and vaping cannabis

Edibles in my state are too expensive for a medical patient. $25 for 100 mg THC doesn’t get a medical patient very far. They would need way more than that per day. I will be curious how expensive they end up costing?
 
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Alabama medical cannabis program might roll out slower than expected​

Published 18 hours ago



The launch of Alabama’s medical cannabis program could be delayed until 2023.
The state’s Medical Cannabis Commission met for the first time this week, and the chair of the board said the program rollout could take longer than expected, AL.com reported.

A representative from the Alabama agriculture department said he didn’t expect licenses for medical marijuana cultivation to be issued before Sept. 1, 2022.
That would mean licensed cannabis wouldn’t be ready for sale until the next year.
Medical marijuana in Alabama is to be grown in greenhouses, which usually takes 3-4 months.
MJBizDaily projects that Alabama’s medical marijuana program could generate $80 million-$90 million in sales in its first year once it gets going and $450 million-$545 million in annual sales by its fourth year.
 
NEWS BRIEF

Alabama taps state treasurer to lead medical cannabis regulator​

Published 5 hours ago



Alabama Treasurer John McMillan will take the reins of the state’s Medical Cannabis Commission to oversee the business licensing and regulation of the nascent MMJ market.
The regulatory agency voted in McMillan as executive director “after a lengthy search,” according to news site Alabama Political Reporter.

His pay starts at $209,877.66.
McMillan held the state treasurer role since 2018 after previously serving as Alabama’s commissioner of agriculture from 2011.
In June, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey appointed three more members to the Medical Cannabis Commission.
In related news, Commission Vice Chair Rex Vaughn said the group is working with the state on legislation to move up the timeline for beginning marijuana cultivation to 2022 with sales starting as soon as fall 2022.
That would be welcome news to the state’s cannabis entrepreneurs.
At the commission’s first meeting in August, commission members mentioned the rollout might be slower than expected, with medical cannabis not available to patients until 2023.
 
“There’s plenty of data for the harmful effects of marijuana during pregnancy. And I just simply felt like we need to have some guidelines in the bill,”

And what 'data' is that pray tell? Wow....

Alabama Bill Would Force Women Who Want Medical Marijuana To Show Negative Pregnancy Tests


An Alabama senator on Thursday introduced a bill that would require women “of childbearing age” to present proof that they’re not pregnant in order to purchase medical cannabis products—a proposal facing sharp resistance from drug policy and civil rights activists.

Sen. Larry Stutts (R) filed the bill, which would amend the state’s medical marijuana law that was enacted last year by mandating dispensaries to require any woman between the ages of 25 and 50 to provide “a negative pregnancy test either from her physician or documentation from a certified medical lab that has been ordered by a physician licensed in Alabama.”

“The documentation must be dated within 48 hours of purchase before she may purchase any medical cannabis except in the capacity as a registered caregiver,” it says, adding that breastfeeding women would also be barred from purchasing medical cannabis products.

“Any registered qualified patient who becomes pregnant shall report her pregnancy status to her registered certifying physician and shall be prohibited from obtaining medical cannabis throughout the pregnancy,” the legislation also says.

In addition, the bill stipulates that no dispensaries could be located within 1,000 feet of a daycare center or two-year or four-year “institution of higher education.”

Emma Roth, a staff attorney at National Advocates For Pregnant Women (NAPW), told Marijuana Moment that the bill “would violate women’s right to privacy and equal protection under the Fourteenth Amendment.”

“It’s another attempt to police pregnancy in the name of the fetus when medical marijuana poses no greater harm than other common exposures during pregnancy,” Roth said. “And where would the state’s reach end? Would a negative pregnancy test be required to be around smokers, to drink coffee or to work a factory job?”

Roth cited a 2020 scientific review that concluded “current evidence does not suggest that prenatal cannabis exposure alone is associated with clinically significant cognitive functioning impairments.”

Stutts, for his part, previously filed a virtually identical version of the new bill earlier this month. It’s unclear why it was reintroduced, but the versions were referred to different committees so it may have been a procedural decision.

“We need some parameters, and I’m still not in favor of the marijuana bill,” Stutts, who is an obstetrician, said in a recent interview with Mobile radio FM Talk 106.5. “But it is in place. I think it can be improved, and one of the ways it can be improved is to limit pregnant people using it, limit their availability to it.”

“There’s plenty of data for the harmful effects of marijuana during pregnancy. And I just simply felt like we need to have some guidelines in the bill,” he said. “Yeah, the marijuana bill is law now but if we’re going to have that as the law, we need to set some parameters.”

Oklahoma regulators faced significant pushback in 2018 after proposing a rule that would have required women to complete a pregnancy test before receiving a medical cannabis recommendation from a doctor. The department faced lawsuits—as well as opposition from the state attorney general’s office—and regulators ultimately revised the rule to eliminate the provision.

“Requiring women submit to a pregnancy test before their doctor may make a medical marijuana recommendation is discriminatory and a clear violation of the 14th Amendment,” ACLU of Oklahoma said following the rule proposal before it was eliminated.

Back in Alabama, the governor signed a limited medical cannabis legalization bill in May 2021.

Last month, a key Alabama Senate committee separately approved a bill to decriminalize marijuana possession and provide expungements for people with prior convictions, sending it to the full Senate for consideration.
 

Alabama Regulators Set Timeline For Medical Cannabis Rollout

Officials expect eligible patients in Alabama to get their medical weed cards by this time next year.

Prospective medical cannabis patients in Alabama received some clarity this week on when they can expect to receive the newly legal treatment in the state.

John McMillan, the director of the state’s Medical Cannabis Commission, told local news outlet WIAT that the commission “is on pace to start accepting applications for dispensary licenses by September, with regulations for the program to be made public this summer.”

“From there, it’s a three-and-a-half, four-month process of advertising, hearings and things that go into the, I call it, the state’s clumsiness to get things done,” McMillan said, as quoted by WIAT.

Following that timeline, the news station said that McMillan “expects patients could get a cannabis card by spring 2023.”

“There’s a lot of good that can come from this, in having a safe, secure, high-quality medication for folks instead of sending them out on the streets to operate in the black market,” McMillan said, according to WIAT.

Alabama legalized medical cannabis last May, when Republican Gov. Kay Ivey signed a billmaking it the 36th state to authorize and regulate the treatment.

“This is certainly a sensitive and emotional issue and something that is continually being studied,” Ivey said in a statement at the time. “On the state level, we have had a study group that has looked closely at this issue, and I am interested in the potential good medical cannabis can have for those with chronic illnesses or what it can do to improve the quality of life of those in their final days.”

In November, the Alabama State Board of Medical Examiners drafted rules over how and when physicians in the state may offer cannabis as a treatment to patients. The board advised that doctors recommend cannabis so long as there is documentation confirming “that conventional medical treatment or therapy has failed unless current medical treatment indicates that use of medical cannabis is the standard of care,” and for the following qualifying conditions: autism spectrum disorder; cancer-related cachexia, nausea or vomiting, weight loss, or chronic pain; Crohn’s disease; depression; epilepsy or a condition causing seizures; HIV/AIDS-related nausea or weight loss; panic disorder; Parkinson’s disease; persistent nausea that is not significantly responsive to traditional treatment, except for nausea related to pregnancy, cannabis-induced cyclical vomiting syndrome or cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome; post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); sickle cell anemia; spasticity associated with a motor neuron disease including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS); spasticity associated with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) or a spinal cord injury; terminal illness; and Tourette’s Syndrome.

But the rollout has not been without some setbacks and delays. In October, the state Medical Cannabis Commission said that it “would not push to make licenses for cultivation and distribution of medical cannabis available earlier, meaning medical cannabis will not be available in Alabama before 2023,” the Montgomery Advertiserreported at the time.

The newspaper reported that “Rex Vaughn, the vice-chair of the commission, said the group needed to address other duties, including rulemaking and physician training,” and that “Vaughn also expressed concerns that further legislative action — required to move the dates — could expose the medical cannabis law to attempts to weaken it.”

“At this point in time, we decided not to ask the Legislature to go back into digging up a legislative bill and opening it back up,” Vaughn said, as quoted by the Montgomery Advertiser. “We could lose what we’ve got.”

Meanwhile, some Alabama lawmakers appear ready to go even further with cannabis policy reform. Last month a committee in the state Senate approved legislation that would decriminalize small amounts of pot in the state.
 

Alabama Regulators Set Timeline For Medical Cannabis Rollout

Officials expect eligible patients in Alabama to get their medical weed cards by this time next year.

Prospective medical cannabis patients in Alabama received some clarity this week on when they can expect to receive the newly legal treatment in the state.

John McMillan, the director of the state’s Medical Cannabis Commission, told local news outlet WIAT that the commission “is on pace to start accepting applications for dispensary licenses by September, with regulations for the program to be made public this summer.”

“From there, it’s a three-and-a-half, four-month process of advertising, hearings and things that go into the, I call it, the state’s clumsiness to get things done,” McMillan said, as quoted by WIAT.

Following that timeline, the news station said that McMillan “expects patients could get a cannabis card by spring 2023.”

“There’s a lot of good that can come from this, in having a safe, secure, high-quality medication for folks instead of sending them out on the streets to operate in the black market,” McMillan said, according to WIAT.

Alabama legalized medical cannabis last May, when Republican Gov. Kay Ivey signed a billmaking it the 36th state to authorize and regulate the treatment.

“This is certainly a sensitive and emotional issue and something that is continually being studied,” Ivey said in a statement at the time. “On the state level, we have had a study group that has looked closely at this issue, and I am interested in the potential good medical cannabis can have for those with chronic illnesses or what it can do to improve the quality of life of those in their final days.”

In November, the Alabama State Board of Medical Examiners drafted rules over how and when physicians in the state may offer cannabis as a treatment to patients. The board advised that doctors recommend cannabis so long as there is documentation confirming “that conventional medical treatment or therapy has failed unless current medical treatment indicates that use of medical cannabis is the standard of care,” and for the following qualifying conditions: autism spectrum disorder; cancer-related cachexia, nausea or vomiting, weight loss, or chronic pain; Crohn’s disease; depression; epilepsy or a condition causing seizures; HIV/AIDS-related nausea or weight loss; panic disorder; Parkinson’s disease; persistent nausea that is not significantly responsive to traditional treatment, except for nausea related to pregnancy, cannabis-induced cyclical vomiting syndrome or cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome; post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); sickle cell anemia; spasticity associated with a motor neuron disease including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS); spasticity associated with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) or a spinal cord injury; terminal illness; and Tourette’s Syndrome.

But the rollout has not been without some setbacks and delays. In October, the state Medical Cannabis Commission said that it “would not push to make licenses for cultivation and distribution of medical cannabis available earlier, meaning medical cannabis will not be available in Alabama before 2023,” the Montgomery Advertiserreported at the time.

The newspaper reported that “Rex Vaughn, the vice-chair of the commission, said the group needed to address other duties, including rulemaking and physician training,” and that “Vaughn also expressed concerns that further legislative action — required to move the dates — could expose the medical cannabis law to attempts to weaken it.”

“At this point in time, we decided not to ask the Legislature to go back into digging up a legislative bill and opening it back up,” Vaughn said, as quoted by the Montgomery Advertiser. “We could lose what we’ve got.”

Meanwhile, some Alabama lawmakers appear ready to go even further with cannabis policy reform. Last month a committee in the state Senate approved legislation that would decriminalize small amounts of pot in the state.
Well, there is this.

Now I don't expect this to be a popular view, but it is mine: If you don't have the self-control to abstain from intoxicants for 9 months during gestation, then you probably don't have the self-control to raise a child and parenthood is probably not for you.


Developing brain needs cannabinoid receptors after birth

Cannabinoid receptors help the brain’s dopamine system establish key connections after birth, a new mouse study suggests.​

Doctors warn that marijuana use during pregnancy may have harmful effects on the development of a fetus, in part because the cannabinoid receptors activated by the drug are known be critical for enabling a developing brain to wire up properly. Now, scientists at MIT’s McGovern Institute for Brain Research have learned that cannabinoid receptors’ critical role in brain development does not end at birth.

In today's online issue of eNeuro, scientists led by McGovern investigator Ann Graybiel report that mice need the cannabinoid receptor CB1R to establish connections within the brain’s dopamine system that take shape soon after birth. The finding raises concern that marijuana use by nursing moms, who pass the CB1R-activating compound THC to their infants when they breastfeed, might interfere with brain development by disrupting cannabinoid signaling.

“This is a real change to one of the truly important systems in the brain — a major controller of our dopamine,” says Graybiel, who is an Institute Professor and a faculty member in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. Dopamine exerts a powerful influence over our motivations and behavior, and changes to the dopamine system contribute to disorders from Parkinson’s disease to addiction. Thus, the researchers say, it is vital to understand whether postnatal drug exposure might put developing dopamine circuits at risk.

Cannabinoid receptors in the brain are important mediators of mood, memory, and pain. Graybiel’s lab became interested in CB1R due to their dysregulation in Huntington’s and Parkinson’s diseases, both of which impair the brain’s ability to control movement and other functions. While investigating the receptor’s distribution in the brain, they discovered that in the adult mice, CB1R is abundant within small compartments within the striatum called striosomes. The receptor was particularly concentrated within the neurons that connect striosomes to a dopamine-rich area of the brain called the substantia nigra, via structures that Graybiel’s team has dubbed striosome-dendron bouquets.

Striosome-dendron bouquets are easy to overlook within the densely connected network of the brain. But when the cells that make up the bouquets are labeled with a fluorescent protein, the bouquets become visible — and their appearance is striking, says Jill Crittenden, a research scientist in Graybiel’s lab.
Striosomal neurons form these bouquets by reaching into the substantia nigra, whose cells use dopamine to influence movement, motivation, learning, and habit formation. Clusters of dopamine-producing neurons form dendrites there that intertwine tightly with incoming axons from the striosomal neurons. The resulting structures, whose intimately associated cells resemble the bundled stems of a floral bouquet, establish so many connections that they give striosomal neurons potent control over dopamine signaling.

By tracking the bouquets’ emergence in newborn mice, Graybiel’s team found that they form in the first week after birth, a period during which striosomal neurons are ramping up production of CB1R. Mice genetically engineered to lack CB1R, however, can’t make these elaborate but orderly bouquets. Without the receptor, fibers from striosomes extend into the substantia nigra, but fail to form the tightly intertwined “bouquet stems” that facilitate extensive connections with their targets. This disorganized structure is apparent as soon as bouquets arise in the brains of young pups and persists into adulthood. “There aren’t those beautiful, strong fibers anymore,” Crittenden says. “This suggests that those very strong controllers over the dopamine system function abnormally when you interfere with cannabinoid signaling.”

The finding was a surprise. Without zeroing in on striosome-dendron bouquets, it would be easy to miss CB1R’s impact on the dopamine system, Crittenden says. Plus, she adds, prior studies of the receptor’s role in development largely focused on fetal development. The new findings reveal that the cannabinoid system continues to guide the formation of brain circuits after birth.

Graybiel notes that funds from donors including the Broderick Fund for Phytocannabinoid Research at MIT, the Saks Kavanaugh Foundation, the Kristin R. Pressman and Jessica J. Pourian ‘13 Fund, Mr. Robert Buxton, and the William N. and Bernice E. Bumpus Foundation enabled her team’s studies of CB1R’s role in shaping striosome-dendron bouquets.

Now that they have shown that CB1R is needed for postnatal brain development, it will be important to determine the consequences of disrupting cannabinoid signaling during this critical period — including whether passing THC to a nursing baby impacts the brain’s dopamine system.
 
Alabama....not exactly a hot spot of forward thinking on MJ...can legalize medical. But our overpaid assholes in DC....nope. Its a portrait of cowardice, is what it is.


Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission awards 21 business licenses


MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - The medical cannabis industry in Alabama is one step closer to becoming a reality.

The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission voted to award 21 business licenses to select companies across the state. That’s out of 90 applications.

The licenses will allow these companies to grow, sell, test and transport medical marijuana.

Here are the approved businesses:


Integrated facility license
Flowerwood Medical Cannabis LLC
Southeast Cannabis Company LLC
Sustainable Alabama LLC
TheraTrue Alabama LLC
Verano Alabama LLC
Cultivator license
Blackberry Farms LLC
Gulf Shore Remedies LLC
Pure by Sirmon Farms LLC
Twisted Herb Cultivation LLC
Processor license
1819 Labs LLC
Enchanted Green LLC
Jasper Development Group Inc.
Organic Harvest Lab LLC
Dispensary license
CCS of Alabama LLC
RJK Holdings AL LLC
Statewide Property Holdings AL LLC
Yellowhammer Medical Dispensaries LLC

Secure transport license
Alabama Secure Transport LLC
International Communication LLC
Tyler Van Lines LLC
State testing laboratory license
Certus Laboratories
Those applicants who were awarded licenses will have 14 days to submit the appropriate license fee to the commission. The commission will issue licenses at its meeting next month.

The companies that were denied a license may receive a hearing for reconsideration.
 
IMO, no big loss....as this "med program" is an empty suit. I can shove it up my ass but I can't get smoke or vape amenable form?

"The bill also prohibits raw cannabis, smoking, vaping and candy or baked good products. Patients would instead be allowed to purchase capsules, lozenges, oils, suppositories and topical patches."​

Alabama makes shocking decision to halt Cannabis license process

Just four days after announcing plans to issue 21 licences to cannabis businesses across the state, Alabama has made a shock U-turn.​


The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission AMCC has now voted to halt the progress of all proceedings relating to the medical cannabis business.

These included the awarding of licences for five integrated facilities, four cultivators, four processors, four dispensaries, three transport businesses and one testing lab.

According to the AMCC, which halted proceedings on Friday June 16, the decision was made after discovering potential inconsistencies in the tabulation of scoring data, citing a need for additional time to seek an independent review of all scoring data.

The Director of the AMCC, John McMillan, said: “Out of an abundance of caution, we are suspending all current procedural timelines until those matters are resolved.”

It is as yet unclear when the process will restart, with the AMCC stating a revised timeline will be provided to all stakeholders in due course.
 

Alabama Cannabis Commission chair resigns after legal challenge


The complaint alleged Steven Stokes is ineligible lead the commission while serving on the University of South Alabama Board of Trustees.​


Dr. Steven Stokes announced Thursday that he will be resigning from the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission after a legal complaint filed last week arguing he is ineligible to serve.


Stokes has not only been a commissioner since its inception, he has also served as chairman.


But a legal complaint filed by Alabama resident Kimberly Holcomb challenged his eligibility, noting that the act precludes public officials and employees from serving on the commission.


Stokes initially said he would fight the complaint, but explained to multiple outlets including APR that he is stepping aside to forego litigation “that would stop the whole process.”


“Next Thursday, the Commission will be prepared to award five integrator licenses, as well as the other licenses,” Stokes said. “Attorneys for commission, my personal attorneys and the court stated (that the litigation) could drag on for several months, and that while going through that litigation process, the commission would be hamstrung. I think the people have waited long enough, so I chose to step aside so next Thursday (the commission) can award licenses.”


Although Stokes’ resignation effectively resolves the complaint, he said he still does not agree with the notion that he was ineligible to serve in the role.


“I went through the entire confirmation process,” Stokes said. “Everybody knows I’ve been a trustee at USA for many years and this issue has never been raised.”


In addition to claiming Stokes is ineligible to serve on the commission, the complaint also raises questions about his connection to USA and the commission’s contract with the university to recruit independent evaluators to review applicants.


But Stokes said that the opportunity was also offered to the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the Auburn University School of Pharmacy, but they turned the offer down.


“If you look at the CVs and resumes of those evaluators, they’re college professors, they have PhDs in biochemistry, in engineering, they’re retired retired business leaders of Mobile,” Stokes said. “And none of the evaluators knew who the applicants were. They were all blindly coded (The evaluators) gave their objective evaluation.”


This is the latest legal drama in the cannabis commission’s troubled licensure process, with the first sign of trouble coming when the commission itself halted its procedure after noticing “potential inconsistencies” in the tabulation or collation of applicants’ scores.


One applicant, Alabama Always, that was not awarded an integrated facility license in the initial round of awards quickly sued the commission, and other parties hav enow also attached themselves to that lawsuit. There are a broad range of accusations of mishandling the application process, but Montgomery Circuit Judge John Anderson has said those complaints are premature until the commission actually issues licenses.


The attorneys representing Alabama Always also represented Kimberly Holcomb in her complaint against Stokes.


Stokes said the complaint goes beyond his eligibility to serve on the commission.


“I think the people who have filed the complaints have gotten the idea they’re not going to be competitive on merits, and since they’re not going to be competitive on the merits, they’re going to try to stop the process or litigate the process,” Stokes said. “I guess that’s where they’re headed with all this.”


Beyond serving as chair of the commission, Stokes has been involved with the process for three years as part of the advisory committee, but today steps away from the process altogether.


“It’s very painful,” Stokes said.
 

Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission to re-award licenses at Thursday meeting


MONTGOMERY — Members of the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) will re-award licenses at their next meeting on Thursday.​


Montgomery Circuit Court Judge James Anderson allowed the AMCC on Monday to continue with its plans to award business licenses to cannabis companies this week despite requests from a couple of businesses to issue a preliminary injunction or temporary restraining order to halt the process.


William Webster, an attorney for the AMCC, said at a hearing at the Montgomery County Courthouse on Monday that the commission still plans to meet later this week.


“We’re still having a meeting on the 10th. All of the information that was supposed to have been provided has now been provided to the commission and all that has been disseminated to each one of them so that they’re aware of all of that prior to meeting on the 10th,” Webster said.


An agenda for the AMCC meeting states they’ll be meeting to discuss the awarding and denial of license applications.


Licenses were previously awarded by the commission in June. Shortly after the licenses were announced, the commission put a stay on proceedings due to discoveries by commission staff of "potential inconsistencies in the tabulation of scoring data." The commission also suspended the issuance of previously awarded licenses. Multiple cannabis companies, including Alabama Always, that didn't receive licenses from the commission in June, are currently suing AMCC.


The annual license fees range from $30,000 to $50,000, depending on the type.


Anderson also ruled on Monday that the public including license applicants were allowed under the First Amendment to communicate with members of the AMCC. Under a previous rule, applicants were barred from contacting commissioners.


“My client was pleased with the ruling by Judge Anderson on our First Amendment filing – allowing anyone to speak to members of the Commission, as it should be. This is a step in the right direction for more transparency in this process,” William Somerville, an attorney for Alabama Always, told 1819 News. “We also are looking forward to the next steps by the Commission at Thursday’s meeting. We hope the Commission will be following the law exactly as it is written pertaining to medicinal cannabis in Alabama.”


An AMCC spokeswoman didn’t return a request for comment on Monday.


In other recent AMCC news, former AMCC chairman Dr. Steven Stokes resigned last week after a lawsuit questioned whether he was legally allowed to serve simultaneously on both the commission and the University of South Alabama board of trustees.
 
FFS! sigh


Alabama Judge Halts Medical Marijuana Licensing Again, This Time Over Alleged Open Meetings Violations


“The delay has been caused by their refusal to follow the law every time. They keep on doing things they shouldn’t do. And they keep on being stuck.”


By Alander Rocha, Alabama Reflector


A Montgomery County Circuit Judge Thursday put a hold on Alabama’s medical cannabis program amid a lawsuit alleging the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) violated the state’s Open Meetings Act at its most recent meeting.


The stay, issued by Judge James Anderson, followed a heated hearing where an attorney for the AMCC suggested the commission would air applicants’ “dirty laundry.”



Applicants denied a license won’t be able to request an investigative hearing until after the stay is lifted, and the commission will have to put site visits and evaluations on hold. AMCC Director John McMillan said that it will be “impossible” to issue licenses at an August 31 meeting.


“We’ll most likely have to schedule another meeting,” McMillan said after the hearing, and added that they would have to complete site visits.


Alabama Always, which sued the commission last month over the appointment of former chair Steven Stokes, filed a lawsuit against the AMCC, alleging the commission violated the state’s open meetings law at its August 10 meeting. The company, which applied for but did not receive a license, alleged that commission members privately nominated companies for public votes on license awards during an executive session.



The lawsuit alleges that commission members were instructed to seal their nominations in an envelope during the executive session, and the companies with the most nominations received a public vote in the August 10 meeting.


The AMCC re-awarded licenses for the production and distribution of medical cannabis at the August 10 meeting, two months after stopping earlier awards amid questions about the evaluation of applications.


The judge allowed other parties to join the suit by the end of the week. Alabama Always and other companies suing AMCC will have to prove that the commission violated state law.


Will Somerville, attorney for Alabama Always, said after the hearing that the process wouldn’t have been delayed if the commission “were doing things the right way.”



“The delay has been caused by their refusal to follow the law every time. They keep on doing things they shouldn’t do. And they keep on being stuck,” Somerville said.


During the hearing, Will Webster, an attorney for the AMCC, seemingly frustrated by the process, asked the judge how the commission should move forward with business.


“Because every time we go out and come back, somebody else has something else to say about what we’ve done, and I want to know what it is that we can do,” he said to the judge.


Anderson said that he can’t tell the commission how to conduct business. He said that he just gets “stuck with what the allegations are.”



“I’ll tell you what we plan to do, judge,” Webster said in response. “If this has to go back one more time. We are done protecting anyone’s reputation or character. We don’t have to go in executive session, and we won’t. We will put forth everyone’s dirty laundry, and everyone will hear about it.”


Anderson said they don’t have to go into executive session.


“That’s something y’all choose to do, or not to do,” Anderson said.


“It’s just what’s going to happen,” Webster said.


McMillan after the hearing said that “dirty laundry” meant issues that came up in background checks that “are part of this decision.”


Anderson set a hearing on the commission’s alleged Open Meetings Act violations for August 28, 2023 at 1:30 p.m.
 

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