Alabama Medical Marijuana Bill Approved In Senate Committee

A proposal to allow the use of medical marijuana in Alabama was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday.

Proposed by Republican State Sen. Tim Melson of Florence, Senate Bill 46 won by a vote of 8-3 and will be sent to the full Senate for consideration, CBS 42 reported. Also called the Compassion Act, it aims to decriminalize medical marijuana in the state.

The proposal calls for the establishment of the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission. The commission will comprise 11 members and will be responsible for giving licenses to growers, overseeing cultivation and implementing regulations. They would also oversee the dispensing of medical marijuana to patients who qualify for a pass to get medical cannabis for therapeutic purposes.

The bill restricts the amount patients would be allowed to buy and possess to “70 daily dosages of medical cannabis” per qualified person. The limit would be determined later by the commission, but it could not exceed 75 milligrams per dose.

Only patients who have been diagnosed with at least one of about 20 conditions stated in the bill will qualify for the program. These conditions include anxiety disorders, sleep disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Patients suffering from chronic or intractable pain would also be allowed to use medical marijuana but only in cases where “conventional therapeutic intervention and opiate therapy is contraindicated or has proved ineffective.”

The bill also limits the way the plant can be used. While capsules, lozenges, oils, suppositories and topical patches are allowed for those who qualify for the program, the usual smoking, vaping and candy or baked goods would remain illegal in Alabama.

The restriction for patients suffering from chronic or intractable pain, along with a few other sections of the bill, sparked concerns, Marijuana Moment noted.

Despite this, advocates of marijuana such as Karen O’Keefe, state policies director for the Marijuana Policy Project, remain excited about medical cannabis reform moving forward in the state.

"It’s encouraging to see lawmakers making progress towards legalizing medical marijuana in Alabama,” O’Keefe told Marijuana Moment.

“It is morally wrong to continue to treat Alabamans who suffer from serious medical conditions as criminals for using a substance that is now legal in 36 states,” she continued. “However, we urge lawmakers to revise the provisions of the bill that create significant barriers for patients and their physicians.”