In their first meeting on August 25, Alabama’s 14-member Medical Cannabis Commission looked to establish a timeline for medical cannabis implementation. The commission’s chairman, Dr. Steven Stokes, had been hoping for next spring. However, it looks like that goal will be pushed back.
Alabama Medical Cannabis
Alabama’s legislative body passed the Compassion Act, which would legalize medical cannabis for qualifying patients. Governor Kay Ivey, R, signed the bill into law in May, making Alabama the 37th state to legalize medical cannabis.
Under the Compassion Act, 15 conditions qualify for medical cannabis:
- Autism
- Cancer-related weight loss, or chronic pain
- Crohn’s
- Depression
- Epilepsy or seizure-causing condition
- HIV/AIDS
- Parkinson’s
- PTSD
- Sickle cell
- ALS
- MS
- Spinal cord injuries
- Terminal illnesses
- Tourette’s
- Chronic pain when typical therapies and opiates aren’t recommended or are ineffective
The Compassion Act also established the Medical Cannabis Commission, who would be incharge of implementing the medical cannabis program. The commission would also be in charge of issuing licenses to cultivators, processors, transporters, testing labs, and dispensaries.
Program Start
However, it seems that the Medical Cannabis Commission won’t be starting as soon as they had hoped.
Patrick Moody is deputy commissioner of the Alabama Department of Agriculture. He believes medical cannabis cultivation licenses won’t be issued before September 1, 2022. That is when the medical cannabis commission is to have their rules and regulations finalized. Once growers and cultivators can plant cannabis plants, they will need three to four months to mature. This leaves dispensaries, also licensed by the state, until 2023 to begin selling medical cannabis to qualifying patients.
“We can’t do anything else till we plant a plant,” Chairman Stokes said. “We need to move everything forward.”
There is a chance the Commission could approve their rules and regulations before September 1, 2022. However, not even the chairman believes things will be moving forward as planned. As more information becomes available, we will update you with the latest.
Make sure to check back for more cannabis and hemp related news.