With barely half of 2021 gone by, the wave of cannabis legalization continues with Alabama poised to become the 37th state with a lawful medical marijuana program. In particular, on May 6, 2021, the State Legislature voted to legalize medical marijuana, with the Governor still in the process of “reviewing,” though anticipated to sign in light of the bipartisan and strong margins through which the underlying Bill passed (68-34 and 20-9 respectively). But what will the market look like, and when will it roll out? The bill breaks down (6) types of licenses, including testing; secure transporters; cultivation; processing; dispensing; and integrated facility license (vertically integrated licenses with the right to operate up to five dispensing sites). There is a cap on the total number of cultivation and integrated facility licenses that may be issued at 12 and 5, respectively, with the remainder of licenses solicited and issued predicated upon a host of different factors, including, but not limited to, the geographic distribution of patients.
Sean Hocking, Cannabis Law Report, 05/17/2021 01:38:00