âYouâll be surprisedâ by medical marijuana billâs support, lawmaker says
A medical marijuana bill moves to the House but its prospects are still unknown.
What s next for Alabama s medical marijuana? By Lydia Nusbaum | February 26, 2021 at 10:36 AM CST - Updated February 26 at 6:47 PM
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - House lawmakers are expected to take up a medical marijuana bill in two committees after the bill swiftly made its way through the Alabama Senate Wednesday.
The bill would allow people with qualifying medical conditions to receive a medical cannabis card authorizing them to use medical marijuana.
Speaker of the House Mac McCutcheon said the bill would be placed in the House Judicial Committee and the House Health committee. Itâs uncommon for bills to be placed in two separate committees.
Alabama has legalized medical marijuana.
The state’s Senate approved the bill, sponsored by Sen. Tim Melson, in a 21-8 vote on Wednesday.
The bill was approved by the state’s Senate committee earlier this month and sent to the full floor for review.
The legislation allows people with qualifying conditions to utilize cannabis for therapeutic reasons.
Upon establishing Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission, which will count 11 members, patients will be free to qualify for the program. In addition, the regulatory body will oversee licensing.
Patients suffering from anxiety, sleep disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and a dozen more conditions will be eligible to enter the program.
Alabama Medical Marijuana Law
Last year, Senator Tim Melson proposed Senate Bill 46, also known as the Compassion Act, which passed by a vote of 8-3 and was then sent to the senate floor. However, while Melson’s bill was approved by the senate, it unfortunately died when the legislature had to be shut down due to the global pandemic― a “close but no cigar” kind of situation. But the bill is moving forward on the senate floor this time.
While the bill should be considered a win for marijuana enthusiasts alike, there is some noteworthy information in this bill. Again, any type of cannabis legalization is considered a win in my book, but this bill would prevent: raw cannabis smoking, vaping and candy or baked goods from being sold to patients. Medical patients would then only be allowed to purchase capsules, lozenges, oils, suppositories and topical patches. The bill also would create an Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission to implement certain regulations for those dispensing
Medical marijuana bill passes in senate committee
Updated Feb 03, 2021;
Posted Feb 03, 2021
Alabama s Senate Bill 46 would allow use of processed medical marijuana products for those approved for a medical cannabis card.AP file photo
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A proposal to allow medical marijuana in Alabama was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday morning.
Senate Bill 46, called the Compassion Act, was proposed by Republican State Sen. Tim Melson of Florence. It passed by a vote of 8-3. The bill will now go to the senate floor.
The proposal calls for establishing an 11-member Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission to license growers, oversee cultivation, implement regulations and oversee dispensing of medical marijuana to patients who qualify for a medical cannabis card.
Medical marijuana bill approved in Alabama Senate committee
In this June 17, 2015, photo, medical marijuana plants grow at LifeLine Labs in Cottage Grove, Minn. (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File)
That approval sends the bill to the Senate floor for vote
Posted: Feb 3, 2021 11:47 AM
Updated: Feb 3, 2021 2:31 PM
Posted By: Stephen Gallien
A proposal to allow medical marijuana in Alabama won quick approval from a Senate committee Wednesday.
The so-called Compassion Act proposed by State Sen. Tim Melson of Florence passed the Senate Judiciary Committee by a vote of 8-3.
That approval sends the bill to the Senate floor for a vote.
Melson’s proposal would establish an Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission.