Signed by Governor Kay Ivey

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that authorizes the legalization and regulation of certain forms of medical marijuana products.

Highlights:

• Alleges the legislature intends to create within Alabama a wholly intrastate system for the cultivation, processing, and distribution of medical cannabis in the interest of protecting its residents from the danger that recreational cannabis poses (Sec. 1-10).

• Specifies a registered qualified patient 19 years of age or older or registered caregiver is not subject to arrest or prosecution for unlawful possession of marijuana if he or she possesses no more than 70 daily dosages of medical cannabis and has a valid medical cannabis card (Sec. §20-2A-7.a).

• Prohibits distributing, possessing, manufacturing, or using medical cannabis or a medical cannabis product that has been diverted from a registered qualified patient, a registered caregiver, or a licensed cultivator, processor, secure transporter, dispensary, or a state testing laboratory (Sec. §20-2A-8.1.a).

• Specifies a resident of this state who is 19 years of age or older is a registered qualified patient if he or she meets all of the following conditions (Sec. §20-2A-30.a-1):

• Has been certified by a registered certifying physician as having a qualifying medical condition;

• Is registered with the commission; and

• Has been issued a valid medical cannabis card by the commission.

• Authorizes a person to apply to the commission for a license for an integrated facility or a license in one of the following independent categories: Cultivator, processor, secure transporter, state testing laboratory, or dispensary (Sec. §20-2A-55.a).

• Requires a licensee to complete batch recall tracking that identifies all of the following details relating to the specific batch subject to the recall (Sec. §20-2A-60-6):

• Sold product;

• Product inventory that is finished and available for sale;

• Product that is in the process of transfer;

• Product being processed into another form; and

• Postharvest raw product, such as a product that is in the drying, trimming, or curing process.

• Prohibits the licensee from doing either of the following (Sec. §20-2A-61.a-1):

• Advertise medical cannabis brand names or use graphics related to cannabis or paraphernalia on the exterior of the physical structure or vehicle.

• Display medical cannabis products or paraphernalia to be visible from the exterior of the physical structure or vehicle.

• Specifies a cultivator license authorizes all of the following (Sec. §20-2A-62.a-1):

• The cultivation of cannabis.

• The sale or transfer of cannabis to a processor.

• If the cultivator contracts with a processor to process its cannabis into medical cannabis on the cultivator's behalf, the sale or transfer of medical cannabis to a dispensary.

• Requires all medical cannabis products to be a medical-grade product, manufactured using documented good quality practices, and meet Good Manufacturing Practices, such that the product is shown to meet intended levels of purity and be reliably free of toxins and contaminants (Sec. §20-2A-63.c-1).

• Prohibits a licensee from operating any dispensing site in the unincorporated area of a county or in a municipality that has not adopted a resolution or ordinance authorizing the operation of dispensing sites (Sec. §20-2A-64.f).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes the legalization and regulation of certain forms of medical marijuana products.

Highlights:

• Alleges the legislature intends to create within Alabama a wholly intrastate system for the cultivation, processing, and distribution of medical cannabis in the interest of protecting its residents from the danger that recreational cannabis poses (Sec. 1-10).

• Specifies a registered qualified patient 19 years of age or older or registered caregiver is not subject to arrest or prosecution for unlawful possession of marijuana if he or she possesses no more than 70 daily dosages of medical cannabis and has a valid medical cannabis card (Sec. §20-2A-7.a).

• Prohibits distributing, possessing, manufacturing, or using medical cannabis or a medical cannabis product that has been diverted from a registered qualified patient, a registered caregiver, or a licensed cultivator, processor, secure transporter, dispensary, or a state testing laboratory (Sec. §20-2A-8.1.a).

• Specifies a resident of this state who is 19 years of age or older is a registered qualified patient if he or she meets all of the following conditions (Sec. §20-2A-30.a-1):

• Has been certified by a registered certifying physician as having a qualifying medical condition;

• Is registered with the commission; and

• Has been issued a valid medical cannabis card by the commission.

• Authorizes a person to apply to the commission for a license for an integrated facility or a license in one of the following independent categories: Cultivator, processor, secure transporter, state testing laboratory, or dispensary (Sec. §20-2A-55.a).

• Requires a licensee to complete batch recall tracking that identifies all of the following details relating to the specific batch subject to the recall (Sec. §20-2A-60-6):

• Sold product;

• Product inventory that is finished and available for sale;

• Product that is in the process of transfer;

• Product being processed into another form; and

• Postharvest raw product, such as a product that is in the drying, trimming, or curing process.

• Prohibits the licensee from doing either of the following (Sec. §20-2A-61.a-1):

• Advertise medical cannabis brand names or use graphics related to cannabis or paraphernalia on the exterior of the physical structure or vehicle.

• Display medical cannabis products or paraphernalia to be visible from the exterior of the physical structure or vehicle.

• Specifies a cultivator license authorizes all of the following (Sec. §20-2A-62.a-1):

• The cultivation of cannabis.

• The sale or transfer of cannabis to a processor.

• If the cultivator contracts with a processor to process its cannabis into medical cannabis on the cultivator's behalf, the sale or transfer of medical cannabis to a dispensary.

• Requires all medical cannabis products to be a medical-grade product, manufactured using documented good quality practices, and meet Good Manufacturing Practices, such that the product is shown to meet intended levels of purity and be reliably free of toxins and contaminants (Sec. §20-2A-63.c-1).

• Prohibits a licensee from operating any dispensing site in the unincorporated area of a county or in a municipality that has not adopted a resolution or ordinance authorizing the operation of dispensing sites (Sec. §20-2A-64.f).

Full Bill Text