More than 800 Alabamians have signed a petition on Change.org urging Gov. Kay Ivey to veto House Bill 445, legislation that would severely restrict access to THC-A and other hemp-derived products across the state. Opponents say the bill, rushed through the legislature in a matter of hours, is deeply flawed and could devastate small businesses, send customers to illegal markets, and cut off access to alternative healthcare options.
Critics argue that the legislation amounts to government overreach, unfairly punishing legitimate businesses and individuals who rely on these products for medical relief. Josh, a 37-year-old veteran living with permanent disabilities and PTSD, shared on the petition that holistic treatments including THC-A have significantly improved his quality of life.
“The pills take a toll on my body… but treating myself holistically drastically improved my quality of life,” he wrote. “If this bill passes, that won’t likely be the outcome for me and however long I have left to live.”
The bill bans smokable hemp, limits THC in edibles to 10mg per serving, prohibits online sales and delivery, and imposes a 10 percent excise tax and $1,000 licensing fee for retailers. Penalties for non-compliance could include up to 10 years in prison. Joe Resha, CEO of Avondale Apothecary in Birmingham, told WVTM 13 the bill “will destroy the hemp industry here in Alabama,” saying that “everything will have to go.”
He warned the new restrictions would make it nearly impossible for his business to survive.
Magic City Organics, another Birmingham-based dispensary, may be forced to leave the state. Owner Ashley Otwell told WBRC the bill “could shut our store down,” adding, “We are all real people. We are not criminals. We abide by all the laws, and we’ve been self-regulating for seven years.”
Mayor Randall Woodfin criticized the bill as a return to “an era of cannabis criminalization, overregulation, and lost opportunity,” telling WVTM 13 that HB445 “locks out entrepreneurs, particularly Black and brown business owners who are often first to be policed and last to get licensed.”
Meanwhile, Abby Rice, who uses hemp-derived products to treat rheumatoid arthritis and anxiety, said in an interview with FOX10 that the plant “has really helped me just be able to get on it day-to-day without depending on something that could potentially hurt me.”
Small business owners from across the state have echoed these concerns. Matt, who opened Route 420 Dispensary in Mobile last year, said the bill would shut down his business and cut off customers from alternatives to prescription medication.
“It threatens not just businesses like mine, but the entire supply chain—brands, workers, and especially the customers,” he wrote in the petition. Deb, a 61-year-old disabled business owner in Spanish Fort, wrote that her dispensary is her only source of income. “This bill jeopardizes my ability to support myself and my family.”
The Alabama Policy Institute has also urged Ivey to veto or amend the bill, noting in a statement to Alabama Daily News that it may align the state’s regulatory framework more closely with permissive markets like Colorado. They argue the bill is both overly broad and insufficiently targeted, leaving room for confusion and unintended consequences.
Critics of the process say the bill was pushed through the legislature with little transparency or input from industry stakeholders or the public. The legislation passed both chambers on the same day with multiple changes added in the Senate, including adjustments to THC limits and licensing requirements. Molly Cole of the Alabama Hemp and Vape Association told the Alabama Reflector that the bill “creates more problems than it solves.”
Many fear that the bill, if enacted, will not only shutter legitimate businesses but also drive consumers toward illegal or out-of-state suppliers. “This is their way of killing it totally,” one Reddit user posted, noting that the combination of bans, in-state-only sourcing and packaging rules will make compliance so costly that most retailers will be forced to close.
As of Monday, Ivey has not indicated whether she will sign or veto the bill. Her office told Alabama Daily News that she is still reviewing the legislation. If no action is taken by the May 13 deadline, HB445 will become law without her signature.
The petition — available at Change.org/HB445 — continues to gain traction as more Alabamians voice concerns about the health, economic and legal consequences of the bill. Advocates say there is still time for the governor to intervene and prevent what they see as an economic and regulatory disaster. With livelihoods, patient access and small businesses at stake, the decision now rests with the governor’s pen — or her silence.
Rushed legislation could devastate small businesses, limit patient care, and fuel illegal markets, critics say Read More
