Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin is urging Gov. Kay Ivey to veto a bill that would tax, regulate, and restrict sales of gummies, drinks, vapes, and other consumable products containing chemicals derived from hemp, a legal form of marijuana.
In a post on Facebook, Woodfin said the bill was a step backward and would hurt small businesses in Birmingham.
“Instead of moving us closer to justice and equity, this bill risks dragging us back to an era of cannabis criminalization, overregulation, and lost opportunity,” the mayor wrote.
The Legislature passed the bill on Tuesday. Ivey can sign it into law.
In 2022, Woodfin testified before Congress in favor of cannabis legalization. “Prohibition of cannabis has taken far too high a toll on Black and brown community,” Woodfin told a committee at the time.
In his social media post today, Woodfin talked about the city’s efforts to reduce the impact of criminal sanctions against marijuana use.
“Birmingham has led the way in on cannabis reform and giving people a second chance. Through Pardons for Progress, we’ve pardoned over 15,000 residents with low-level marijuana convictions — because we believe nobody should be held back in life over something that should have never been criminal in the first place.”
“HB445 threatens that progress. By limiting access to legal hemp products, burdening small businesses with excessive restrictions, and imposing punitive taxes, this bill doesn’t just regulate — it criminalizes.”
Supporters of the legislation, which passed on Tuesday, say the products containing THC – also called Delta 8, Delta 9, and Delta 10 – are unregulated and dangerous, especially for young people.
The bill, HB445 by Rep. Andy Whitt, R-Harvest, would place a 10% tax on the products, limit their availability to retailers licensed by the Alcoholic Beverage and Control Board, require testing and approved labels, and make other changes.
At public hearings on the bill, law enforcement representatives said the tighter regulations were needed.
Supporters of the industry said they were not opposed to regulations, including prohibiting sales to minors, but said the products are safer than alcohol and should remain available for adult users.
They said the bill would have negative economic consequences.
Woodfin agreed with those points.
“It locks out entrepreneurs, particularly Black and brown business owners who are often first to be policed and last to get licensed,” Woodfin said.
“It creates barriers where we should be building bridges — to opportunity, to equity, and to public health solutions that actually work.
“Alabama should be investing in the future of this industry — not regulating it into irrelevance. We can and must craft smarter laws that protect consumers, ensure safety, and grow our economy without resurrecting the failed policies of the past.”
“It creates barriers where we should be building bridges,” Woodfin said. Read More
