On Friday, the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) awarded medical cannabis licenses to 21 business entities across the state. One of those to receive an award was Antoine Mordican with Native Black Cultivation. Mordican is an Alabama hemp farmer who was featured previously in Alabama Today.
“I am the CEO of Native Black Cultivation,” Mordican told the Commission in his presentation on Monday, November 27. “I am a farmer, an engineer, and an advocate. I spoke in this very room (in 2021) to the Health Committee for passage of the medical cannabis bill.”
“I am originally from the west side of Chicago. I came down here in 2009 for an education,” Mordican said. “I have been farming since 2020 growing hemp.”
“I and my ownership team are all residents of Alabama,” Mordican continued. “We have the skills to cultivate a quality product for the state of Alabama.”
In the previous two rounds of award applications, Native Black Cultivation was denied a permit largely because Mordican had been a resident of Alabama for just 14 years rather than the 15 years necessary to achieve residency. Mordican addressed this by giving his two partners, who have lived in the state for decades, a larger ownership stake so that the company fits the AMCC definition of Alabamian-owned.
“If you look at the Alabama Medical Cannabis website, we have overwhelming public support for our application,” Mordican said. “It is critical that we have minority participation in the state. We will be an asset for the state and the people of Alabama.”
The Commission could have awarded a maximum of twelve cultivator licenses, but they only awarded seven.
The Commission voted to give cultivator licenses to:
• CRC of Alabama, LLC
• Greenway Botanicals, LLC
• Gulf Shore Remedies, LLC
• Native Black Cultivation
• Creek Leaf Wellness Inc.
• Twisted Herb Cultivation, LLC
• I AM FARMS
Four business entities were awarded medical cannabis processor licenses. These are:
• Organic Harvest Lab, LLC
• Coosa Medical Manufacturing
• 1819 Labs, LLC
• Jasper Development Group Inc.
Four business entities were awarded dispensary licenses. These are:
• CCS of Alabama, LLC
• GP6 Wellness, LLC
• Capitol Medical, LLC
• RJK Holdings AL, LLC
Four business entities were awarded secure transporter licenses. These are:
• Alabama Secure Transport, LLC
• Tyler Van Lines, LLC
• Pick Up My Things
• International Communication, LLC
Certus Laboratories was awarded the only state testing laboratory license.
The Commission rescinded two previous rounds of awards in June and August to settle lawsuits from failed applicants.
“The presentations we received from applicants this week were insightful and allowed Commission members to ask questions about the contents and merits of their application,” explained AMCC Chairman Rex Vaughn. “We received applications and presentations from applicants who would make terrific licensees, which made our job of selecting a limited number of them challenging. However, I trust this Commission’s wisdom and discretion in selecting the best applicants to serve as licensees in Alabama’s newest industry.”
Applicants who were awarded a license have 14 days to pay the license fee. Applicants who were denied a license have 14 days to request an investigative hearing before the Commission for reconsideration of said denial.
Beginning on Tuesday, the Commission will hear presentations from applicants seeking the integrated facility license. An integrated facility license allows the holder to cultivate, process, transport, and dispense medical cannabis. The number of integrator licenses is limited to a maximum of five.
Those awards will be made on December 12.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
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