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MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama’s long-stalled rollout of medical marijuana hit a major breakthrough Tuesday with Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission officials confirming the issuance of some contested licenses would finally move forward after being tied up for years in litigation.
It will likely still be several months before products are available on a limited basis.
Justin Aday, general counsel for the commission, told Alabama Daily News the dispensary licenses, which authorize companies to operate as point-of-sale retailers for medical marijuana, have already been referred to an administrative law judge for investigative hearings. Once the hearings are complete, the licenses can be issued and Alabama patients can purchase medical marijuana products legally for the first time.
“I probably have guarded optimism about the dispensary category proceeding,” said Sam Blackmore, pharmacist and member of the AMCC, speaking with ADN Tuesday.
“…Our mantra amongst ourselves has been that if we can just get one of these dispensaries open, that will allow the physicians to finally get going so that they can at least make a recommendation that will allow for the patient registry to open up so patients can start registering.”
Limited medical marijuana was legalized in Alabama in 2021 through the Compassion Act, carried by Sen. Tim Melson, R-Florence, which established the AMCC to review candidates and award and issue licenses to grow and sell some marijuana products. The AMCC first awarded licenses across six categories in June of 2023, though were soon hit with litigation from companies not awarded licenses, litigation that has stalled the rollout indefinitely.
The AMCC was permitted by a Montgomery court to move forward with the issuance of four of the six uncontested license categories; cultivation, processor, secure transporter and state testing laboratory licenses. The issuance of the two contested license categories, however – dispensary and integrated facility licenses, the only licenses that permit the sale of medical marijuana – have remained tied up in court. That is, until this week.
“It’s been held up because these last two categories have not been able to have that review from the (administrative law judge), whereas the other categories have,” Blakemore said. “So that to me is big news.”
Members of the AMCC held a meeting Tuesday as well where they awarded Green Health Laboratories, a Foley-based cannabis and hemp testing lab, a state testing laboratory license in a unanimous vote. Previously, only one company, Cetrus Laboratories based in Grand Bay, had been awarded a state testing laboratory license.
“That’s one more step in our process that we can put behind us,” said AMCC Chair Rex Vaughn after the vote.
With investigative hearings now set to begin as it relates to the issuance of dispensary licenses, Alabama patients may be only months away from being able to legally purchase medical marijauna in the state, albeit only from the limited number of dispensaries, and the administrative law judge approves of the issuance of said licenses.
The other contested license category, the integrated facilities license, not only allows for companies to sell medical marijuana, but to grow, process and transport it. While only dispensary licenses have been permitted to move forward with investigative hearings, Blakemore said he was hopeful that integrated facilities licenses would soon follow, and thereby remove any potential bottlenecks in medical marijauna reaching patients.
“I think the same thing is going to play out with the integrated category as well,” he said.
“}]] Major breakthrough for Alabama’s medical marijuana rollout as issuance of contested licenses moves forward Read More
