The state of Alabama is preparing to roll-out its medical marijuana industry with an expectation of giving licenses to up to 17 companies to grow and process cannabis products for patients within the state. According to the Medical Cannabis Commission in Alabama, the companies will be issued licenses to grow plants in secure buildings under 24/7 video surveillance and high-level-security.
It is anticipated that in 14 weeks the plants will be ready for processing into a range of products including pills, capsules, oils, patches and more, which are expected to be available in dispensaries licensed by the state by the end of the year, if things go according to plan. Regulations currently allow medical marijuana use for more than a dozen conditions, including Crohn’s disease, cancer-related pain, depression, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS-related weight-loss, nausea or stress disorder, and conditions causing chronic or severe pain.
Available Products
However, using raw plant products or smoking the cannabis will not be allowed in the state. The Medical Cannabis Commission said last week that it’s currently reviewing 90 companies’ license requests for cultivating, transporting, processing, testing, and dispensing medical marijuana. The licenses will be granted by June, and the public will have access to redacted applications for public comments.
For rejected license applicants, they can file an appeal to the commission. If that fails, they have the option to take the matter to court. According to the regulations, the state’s agricultural department will carry out checks on the cultivation facilities at least twice per year, and samples would undergo testing for hazardous materials and pesticides at least four times per year at a state-approved testing lab.
Strict Compliance
The cultivators would require a considerable initial investment and have a limited margin of error, such as a crop failure. The state also requires to check that any excess or unutilized plant material was destroyed. “They will have the ultimate in a controlled environment in how they’re producing these marijuana plants,” said Rex Vaughn, a member of the commission board. “They really cannot afford any less. They will have to control every aspect in the production part of it to make sure that they’re timely when needed,” he added.
Applicants must verify criminal background checks for employees, and the law dictates that licensed companies must have lived in Alabama for at least 15 consecutive years before submitting the license request. The types of licenses include cultivators, processors, dispensaries, secure transporters and state testing labs. Up to 12 cultivation licenses are available, and the law mandates the plants be grown in secure containers as opposed to in the ground.
AMCC’s director and Vaughn have different predictions for when the products will be available, with one indicating that they could be in Alabama dispensaries by October or November 2023, while the other proposes early next year due to possible legal challenges that could disrupt the timeline. Additionally, municipalities must decide to allow products to be sold in licensed dispensaries in their cities and counties to participate in the program.
NEW: Alabama Issues First Licenses for Medical Cannabis Businesses
