An Alabama court has overturned the temporary restraining order blocking medical cannabis licenses in the state, which have been on hold since lawsuits brought the industry’s launch to a halt in 2023.
Alabama Court Overturns Order Blocking Medical Cannabis Licenses
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Alabama’s medical cannabis program could finally see forward progress after the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals on Friday overturned a temporary restraining order that has blocked the state’s cannabis licensing process for over a year, AL.com reports.
Alabama lawmakers passed the medical cannabis program in 2021. However, when the state awarded its first licenses in 2023, the process was halted and ultimately invalidated after several cannabis companies claimed the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) had violated the state’s open meetings law.
AMCC Director John McMillan said the agency is “hopeful that this decision will remove the obstacles that have prevented the Commission from completing the licensing process and doing the work the law charged it to do.”
“On behalf of the many long-suffering patients in Alabama who have waited far too long for access to the benefits of medical cannabis products, we are pleased with today’s decision from the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals.” — McMillan, in a press release
When it launches, the Alabama medical cannabis program will only be available to patients with a doctor’s prescription, and only for patients with certain conditions such as cancer, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, Parkinson’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic or intractable pain, and other serious conditions. Patients will have access to consumables like gummies, tablets, tinctures, gels and other topicals, transdermal patches, and inhalers — but cannabis-infused foods, flower products, and other products administered by smoking or vaping will not be allowed under the program’s rules.
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