Alabama became one of the states to legalize medical marijuana in 2021. However, the Alabama Cannabis Coalition is now calling for changes to the law.
Why?
The limited number of cannabis licenses and disputes over the recipients have led to lawsuits and disagreements in the market.
According to Marty Schelper, the founder of the Alabama Cannabis Coalition, the situation is becoming worse. The coalition has written to Governor Kay Ivey, urging her to convene a special session for lawmakers to amend the law in order to prevent a monopoly in the market.
Currently, the state cannabis regulator is allowed to issue 12 licenses for cultivators, four for processors, four for dispensaries, and five for integrated facilities.
Schelper suggests that opening up the markets to anyone who wants a license and meets the state’s requirements could solve the problems.
Ongoing Litigation
Meanwhile, the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) is facing multiple lawsuits.
Medella LLC, a medical marijuana company that was not granted a license, has filed a lawsuit along with two other companies, Alabama Always LLC and Verano Holdings Corp. Verano’s president, Darren Weiss, will be speaking about this issue at an upcoming Benzinga event in Chicago.
The Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference is returning to Chicago on Sept 27-28. Get your tickets today to secure a spot at the epicenter of cannabis investment and branding.
Photo: Courtesy of Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash
