Alabama: Market and legal data analysis of the cannabis sector

8th January 2024: US - Alabama: Another hold has been placed on the issuance of medical cannabis licences after another dispute about the process for selecting licensees, press reports. A judge issued temporary restraining orders on the issuance of dispensary licences on 29th December 2023 and on integrated licences on 3rd January 2024.
21st November 2023: US - Alabama: The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) has reached a proposed settlement to resolve a lawsuit brought by medical cannabis licence applicants, press reports. If the proposed settlement is ratified by the AMCC during a 27th November meeting, it could allow licences to be issued by the end of 2023.
16th October 2023: US - Alabama: The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) has adopted emergency regulations and revisions in an effort to award medical cannabis licences by the end of 2023. The issuance of licences in Alabama has been halted multiple times, but authorities believe that they have now passed those hurdles and can grant licences by the end of the year.
1st September 2023: US - Alabama: The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission voted on Thursday (31st August) to impose a stay on the issuance of the licences awarded on 10th August, press reports. The hold is the latest delay in getting the state's medical cannabis programme off the ground, after several legal challenges and prior delays in the process over applicant scoring irregularities. The 24 entities awarded licences on 10th August will not receive licences on 7th September as originally scheduled but do not need to pay licence fees at this time.
18th August 2023: US - Alabama: The issuance of medical cannabis licences in Alabama hit another delay as a judge temporarily paused the process to issue licences in response to a lawsuit alleging that the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission violated the state's Open Meetings Act, press reports. The issuance process was halted previously for alleged irregularities in scoring applications. The next hearing in the most recent case is set for 28th August.
11th August 2023: US - Alabama: The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) has recently awarded medical cannabis business licences across distinct categories, encompassing seven cultivator licences, four processor licences, four dispensary licences, five integrated facility licences, two secure transport licences and one state testing laboratory licence. This follows the initial grant of licences to 21 applicants out of 90 in June. However, due to scoring discrepancies, the AMCC temporarily suspended these decisions, engaging in a recalculation amid legal challenges. The Commission's actions have included a stay on proceedings and plans for a second round of licence offerings.
19th June 2023: US - Alabama: The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) has voted to delay the issuance of state licences for medical cannabis businesses due to concerns over scoring irregularities in distributing licences. An independent review will be conducted to ensure credibility and fairness. The decision aims to maintain programme integrity and prevent potential errors. Applicants awarded licences on 12th June will have an extended payment deadline, while those denied licences will have additional time for investigative hearing requests. Licences scheduled to be awarded on 10th July will be postponed pending the completion of the scoring investigation. The duration of the delay is unspecified, and the process will resume after the independent review.
17th April 2023: US - Alabama: The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) has advanced 90 business applications for a review and scoring process that is scheduled to take 60 days, and the AMCC is expected to announce its decision on the granting of licences at its 12th June meeting, press reports. Among the licences, the AMCC will award up to 12 for cultivation, four for processing, four for dispensaries, five for integrated facilities, and an unspecified number for secure transport and state testing laboratories.
5th April 2023: US - Alabama: Senate Bill 66 has passed the Senate and now heads to the House. It would ban the sale, distribution, marketing, or possession of psychoactive cannabinoids derived from or found in hemp to anyone under 21, making it a Class B misdemeanor, and impose a 5% tax on the gross proceeds of the sale of such products.
26th October 2022: US - Alabama: The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) has sent Cannabis Business License application forms to those who requested them during the required period, which closed on 17th October. The commission received 607 requests for licences, which are expected to be issued in mid-2023.
1st September 2022: US - Alabama: The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission has issued an updated timeline for medical cannabis licensing. The first licences are now expected to be issued in July 2023.

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