This week the Senate Judiciary committee in Alabama has approved a bill that will legalize medical marijuana.
The bill will allow patients 19 and older who are suffering from one of 33 conditions to qualify for medical marijuana and be able to obtain it at licensed dispensaries.
The legislation would further establish a commission responsible for licensing cultivators, distributors and retailers and also approving medical cannabis cards for patients.
The bill passed in a 6-2 vote, with three abstentions.
“We’re encouraged to see a compassionate medical cannabis bill advancing in Alabama,” said Karen O’Keefe, director of state policies at the Marijuana Policy Project, to Marijuana Moment. “Passing medical cannabis laws should be a no-brainer for elected officials.”
“We’ve had 20 plus years to see that the laws alleviate suffering and are not causing problems. And there is perhaps no political issue that enjoys such strong popular support,” she added.
The bill now heads to the full Senate.