Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission awards five integrator licenses
On Tuesday, the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) met, ranked applicants, and voted to award medical cannabis business licenses to five integrated facility applicants. The state authorizes a holder of an integrated facility license to cultivate, process, transport, and dispense medical cannabis all in-house without having to rely on other businesses in the supply chain. Rex Vaughn is the chairman of the AMCC. “First, I thank all of the integrated facility applicants for their diligent efforts throughout this lengthy licensing process,” Vaughn said. “Second, I cannot emphasize strongly enough how much I appreciate the commitment and hard work of each Commissioner as we have navigated through this phase of the program. The result of these efforts has led to the award of licenses to entities who the Commission has determined are well-suited to serve patients through Alabama’s medical cannabis program.” The license awards went to: Trulieve AL, Inc. Sustainable Alabama, LLC Wagon Trail Med-Serv, LLC Flowerwood Medical Cannabis, LLC Specialty Medical Products of Alabama Following this award of licenses, the procedural timelines associated with the post-award licensing process will begin along with the pre-issuance site inspections. AMCC staff will be performing onsite inspections over the next few days. Those applicants awarded a license will have 14 days to submit the appropriate license fee. Any applicant denied a license has 14 days to request an investigative hearing before the Commission for reconsideration of said denial. Since the statute limits the AMCC to a maximum of five integrator licenses that it can give, reversing their decision on a denied applicant would mean taking a license from one of the awardees – a procedure that is fraught with litigation ramifications. Only doctors who have had special medical cannabis training will be allowed to make recommendations for medical cannabis to their patients. Under the rules promulgated by the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners, physicians who want the authorization to make medical cannabis recommendations may begin the certification process to recommend medical cannabis to patients after business licenses have been issued. For a patient to qualify for medical cannabis, the patient must have at least one of the qualifying conditions and be recommended for medical cannabis by a certified physician to purchase any cannabis product. The qualifying conditions are limited to autism spectrum disorder; cancer-related pain or nausea; Crohn’s Disease; depression; epilepsy or conditions causing seizures; HIV/AIDS-related nausea or weight loss; panic disorder; Parkinson’s Disease; persistent nausea; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); sickle cell anemia; spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury; Tourette’s Syndrome; a terminal illness; or conditions causing chronic or intractable pain. No smokable product or raw plant product may be legally sold in the state of Alabama. Food products such as cookies or candies will also not be allowed. The Commission hopes that the first lawful Alabama-grown medical cannabis will be available this spring. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Applicants for all-inclusive medical cannabis facilities make case to state commission
Alander Rocha, Alabama Reflector Companies seeking to build all-inclusive medical cannabis facilities began making their cases to the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission on Tuesday. Presentations will run from Tuesday until Friday, and the commission will award the licenses next week. Applicants seeking integrated facility licenses, which would grow, process, and distribute medical cannabis, were allotted up to 45 minutes to speak to the commission. Most companies stressed their ability to quickly get products to patients. “We will grow [medical cannabis] and produce products and have them on the shelf within several months, as fast as that plant can grow and we can harvest it,” said Chuck Smith, chief operating officer and part owner of Southeast Cannabis Company. Smith said they could have products available as early as June if they begin operating in January. AMCC Chair Rex Vaughn said that while the commission is considering how quickly dispensaries can get products to patients, he feels that hearing from companies talk about their business has been most valuable. “I think all of us are interested in how aggressive they can be with the timeframe since we had delay after delay up to this point,” he said. “But I think what we’re really looking for — and enjoying hearing — is them being so straightforward with us and telling us their game plan and how intentional they tend to be with what they’re going to do.” The commission will grant five integrated facilities licenses. “It’s going to be next to impossible,” Vaughn said. “Kind of like the last time we did it — we all felt, I guess, fuzzy because we knew we had picked some really good ones, but at the same time we could not pick some other good ones.” Each integrated facility will operate five dispensaries that will be responsible for growing cannabis and selling the product in dispensaries. Cannabis firm denied license takes case to Alabama Court of Civil Appeals The commission awarded 20 licenses on Friday for businesses providing individual services, including cultivation, processing, and dispensing. An integrated facility would be authorized to perform every action for growing and cultivating medical cannabis. Thirty-six entities applied for integrated facilities licenses. There were 38 companies in the running, but two withdrew their applications. While some addressed perceived shortcomings in their applications, such as residency issues, others made emotional appeals when speaking to their experience in agriculture. Nell Maisel, a co-owner of Jemmstone Alabama, one of the integrated facility applicants, said that she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 20 years ago. That, she said, led her to invest in medical cannabis in other states, including most recently acquiring an integrated facility license in Florida. But Maisel cited her Alabama roots, including her education in the state’s public schools, as well as a degree from the University of Alabama. “I’ve done a lot of reading; it helps people, and that’s what I care about — especially in my home state of Alabama. And, like you know, the team is over 70% Alabamian, and that’s what I care about,” she said. The AMCC first awarded licenses in June, but scoring inconsistencies led the commission to void the awards and reevaluate the applications. A lawsuit alleging the commission violated the Open Meetings Act halted the process again in August. That prompted the commission to rescind the awards a second time, negotiating with claimants on a possible process to move forward with the awards. The AMCC adopted new licensing and application rules in October after months of legal dispute and stalled settlement negotiations, which set the latest round of applications in motion. The Alabama Legislature approved a medical cannabis program for the state in 2021, but the bill authorizing the program did not allow licenses to be issued until Sept. 1, 2022. The AMCC began accepting applications late last year. When the product is available, patients certified by participating physicians will be able to use medical cannabis for 15 conditions, including cancer, chronic pain, depression, and Parkinson’s Disease. Patients will have to apply for a card to obtain medical cannabis from licensed dispensers. The law forbids smoking medical cannabis or consuming it in food. It will be available as tablets, capsules, gelatins, oils, gels, creams, suppositories, transdermal patches, or inhalable oils or liquids. Cannabis gummies will only be allowed to be peach-flavored. Vaughn said these presentations allow the commission to pick companies that can get started with “minimal chance of a problem.” They are heavily weighing these presentations based on what the presenters tell the commission and how well “applicants can perform and what they’re telling us,” he said. “That’s what these presentations, I think, exposed to us,” he said. “It’s these companies, or these applicants, that probably provide us the best opportunity to get the industry going off as smoothly and quickly as possible.” Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alabama Reflector maintains editorial independence. Follow Alabama Reflector on Facebook and Twitter.
Antoine Mordican awarded cannabis cultivator license
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.
Cannabis firm denied license takes case to Alabama Court of Civil Appeals
Alander Rocha, Alabama Reflector A cannabis firm denied an Alabama medical marijuana license asked the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals last week to prevent a state commission from using prior results to award licenses. Specialty Medical Products, a Wetumpka-based medical cannabis firm that was denied a license for an integrated facility, alleged in a motion filed on Oct. 27 that the criteria used by evaluators are still unknown to applicants; that the commission failed to inform applicants what criteria they would be scored on in the application, and that the process was not properly adopted as a rule. “The application guide, however, does not set out the ‘minimum criteria’ for each exhibit,” the motion stated. “More importantly, the application guide fails to state what criteria are necessary to “exceed” or “thoroughly address” that minimum criteria. The company has been involved in the ongoing lawsuits, along with Alabama Always, another company denied a license. Montgomery Circuit Judge James Anderson on Nov. 3 denied a temporary restraining order to prevent the commission from using scores previously considered in the first two attempts to award the medical cannabis licenses. Anderson’s order denying the temporary restraining order did not specify a reason for the denial. The judge said in previous hearings that the commission should have the discretion to use or not use the controversial scores provided by the University of South Alabama (USA). USA brought in evaluators who reviewed the initial license applications. After the first award of licenses, the AMCC put a pause on the process following several “inconsistencies” in scoring the applications that would have led to “catastrophic” results if the licenses were issued. The companies asked the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals to weigh on whether a temporary restraining order should have been imposed. The restraining order would have prevented the commission from using rules issued that were not adopted in accordance with the Alabama Administrative Procedure Act. It also claims that the rules exceed the commission’s authority under the law passed legalizing medical cannabis. “The commission should be barred from using the scores, as the scoring system appears designed to award licenses [to] applicants who just simply cannot cultivate cannabis in 60 days, as the statute mandates,” said Will Somerville, an attorney representing Alabama Always, in a statement. The statute signed into law in 2021 states that cultivators and integrated facilities “demonstrate the ability to commence cultivation of cannabis within 60 days of application approval notification.” According to the motion from Specialty Medical Products, the application simply asked if companies could commence cultivation within 60 days, answered with “yes” or “no,” not “demonstrate” the ability to do so. “Dispensing with the scores is the best way to make sure patients in Alabama who can benefit from medical cannabis get the help they so desperately need,” he stated. The AMCC in October reset the medical cannabis licensing process and said all 90 applicants were back in the running for a license. The commission rescinded all awarded licenses and denials from an Aug. 10 meeting, which set the stage for a third round of license grants under rules adopted at a commission meeting in a previous October meeting. The new procedures allow commissioners to use the previous scores to decide on awards, and Chairman Rex Vaughn said at the meeting that commissioners had full discretion “when evaluating the suitability of all 90 applicants.” The new rules also give applicants an opportunity to contest deficiencies identified in their application and their score results. Presentations will be open to the public. Applicants can also respond to preliminary pass/fail and submit application material that were not previously filed due to the file size limitation. Brittany Peters, spokesperson for the commission, said they expect presentation to continue as scheduled. Presentations will take place between Nov. 27 and Dec. 8. A schedule of the presentation can be found here. Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alabama Reflector maintains editorial independence. Follow Alabama Reflector on Facebook and Twitter.
Alabama medical cannabis licensing process reset: All 90 applicants back in the running
Alander Rocha, Alabama Reflector All 90 applicants for commercial medical cannabis licenses are back in the running after the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) Thursday reset the license process. The AMCC rescinded all awarded licenses and denials from an Aug. 10 meeting, setting the stage for a third round of license grants under rules adopted at a commission meeting on Oct. 12. “We decided to start all over as far as the award,” said Rex Vaughn, the chair of the AMCC, after the meeting. “It doesn’t matter if [uncontested in court] or not, they’ll all be taken into consideration after the presentations. The new procedures will allow commissioners to use the previous scores to decide on awards, but Vaughn, speaking from a prepared statement during the meeting Thursday, repeatedly stated the commissioners had full discretion “when evaluating the suitability of all 90 applicants.” The new rules also give applicants an opportunity to contest deficiencies identified in their application and their score results. Presentations will be open to the public. Applicants can also respond to preliminary pass/fail and submit application material that were not previously filed due to the file size limitation. Presentation Schedule: Nov. 27 – Cultivator and State Testing Laboratory Applicants Nov. 28 – Secure Transporter and Processor Applicants Nov. 29 – Dispensary Applicants Dec. 4 – 8 – Integrated Facility Applicants Will Somerville, an attorney representing Alabama Always, a company that has sued the commission after being denied licenses in previous rounds, sent a letter to the commission Wednesday urging it to throw out the scores provided by the University of South Alabama earlier this year. “If the scores remain, or if they are considered in any way, the scores will be used by applicants who are not awarded a license to attack the award winners,” Somerville wrote. “The reality is that this process will, regrettably, be subject to unending litigation if the Commission continues to use the scores.” After the Thursday meeting, Vaughn said that he felt confident that the licensing process is in better shape now that issues have been addressed. Litigation, he said, will be part of the commission’s work. “Litigation will be ongoing. We know that. That’s just going to be part of our lives on the commission for the foreseeable future,” Vaughn said. Vaughn also addressed how the commission will conduct site inspections, a point of contention with companies that have argued in court that the AMCC did not inspect sites before awarding licenses. Under state law, inspections must be completed before licenses are issued, but the commission is not required to inspect them before. Vaughn said that inspections will occur between the time licenses are awarded and when they are issued, about a month’s time. “We have inspectors lined up, investigators ready to do their work, but we have to get to the point of issuing the license,” he said. The commission will begin accepting public comments for or against particular applicants on Friday. Comments must be made electronically through the AMCC website by Nov. 26. Antoine Mordican, CEO of Native Black Cultivation, a hemp company that wants to move into medical cannabis cultivation, said that he’s happy to learn the direction the commission is going in. The commission should have the final say on how they award the licenses, not a third-party evaluator. “For them to be able to pull everything back and to be able to look at everything again — even with the potential of them not considering the license —because ultimately the commission has the last final say, in which that should always have been the case,” Mordican said. Aretha Dix, a former Alabama Medical Cannabis Study Commission member who was denied a dispensary license, said she was excited to show the commission “what she stands for.” “I feel like it’s now fair. It’s officially fair,” she said. “I think it’s how it should have been initially, but I’m excited that we get a chance to say ‘Hey, this is who we are.’” She said that she’s been patient through the process, and she understands that before patients can have something in place, the process had to be ironed out first. But she didn’t expect her application to be scored as it was. “I knew my intentions. I came in with honesty and transparency. Most importantly, with the desire to really make a difference and make a change for the citizens of the state,” she said. Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Follow Alabama Reflector on Facebook and Twitter.
Medical marijuana issue heads back to court on Wednesday
Litigants in Alabama’s ongoing medical marijuana litigation will be back in court on Wednesday to seek approval to reboot the awarding of marijuana licenses. The State Legislature passed, and Governor Kay Ivey signed, legislation legalizing medical marijuana in 2021. A number of business entities denied licenses to enter the state’s newest industry have sued over issues surrounding the license awards. Judge James Anderson is hearing those cases in Montgomery Circuit Court. Last Thursday, the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) voted on a series of rule changes to address issues that plaintiffs have raised. The AMCC hopes that Judge Anderson will be satisfied with those changes and will allow the state to rescind those previous cannabis awards made by the Commission in June and August. Southeast Cannabis, which was awarded a license by the Commission in June and then had its award reaffirmed in August, is seeking a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the AMCC’s plan to rescind the awards and reconsider all of the applications. Judge Anderson last Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit by Verano, who was granted a license award in June and then denied in August, arguing that the license award was a property owned by Verano and, once awarded, could not be rescinded. Anderson ruled against Verano, accepting the AMCC’s position that a license, even though Verano paid the Commission $50,000 for the license, is a privilege and not a right; thus, the Commission does have the authority to rescind Verona’s license. Based on the Verano decision, it seems likely that Judge Anderson will rule against Southeast Cannabis’s request for a TRO. Alabama Always was denied a permit in the Commission’s June and August meetings. They are suing the state, arguing that the AMCC’s process was flawed and that the Commission violated Alabama’s Open Meetings Act when the commissioners went into a lengthy closed executive session. Other entities denied permits have since joined this litigation, and those suits have been consolidated into one case. Commission Chairman Rex Vaughn told reporters that, if the court allows, the Commission will rescind the awards and then hold hearings, giving the applicants the opportunity to present their case directly to the Commission. It is hoped that the Commission will be able to grant new awards in either December or January. The Commission is represented in the litigation by attorney Mark Wilkerson. Vaughn praised Wilkerson and the legal team representing the AMCC. “They have been a great asset to us, helping us wade through to where we are. They have done a magnificent job,” Vaughn said. The Commission has set a meeting for October 26. The legislation legalizing medical cannabis and creating the AMCC is the most restrictive in the country. The maximum number of marijuana grower, processor, transporter, laboratory, and dispensary licenses that the AMCC can award is limited by the 2021 legislation. The most sought-after license, the integrated facility (which can grow, process, and market cannabis all in-house), is limited to a maximum of five in the state. Due to the strict limits, most applicants will ultimately be denied. It will be some time well into 2024 before Alabamians with a demonstrated medical need will be able to legally purchase medical cannabis in the state as no crop can legally be planted until final approval is issued from the AMCC, and that can’t happen until the court lifts its hold on the issuing of the licenses. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Medical Cannabis Coalition votes to stay license awards
On Thursday, the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) once again voted to stay the issuing of medical cannabis licenses in Alabama. The AMCC is facing a growing host of lawsuits from applicants who claim that they were wrongly denied cannabis licenses by the Commission at their meeting on August 11. On Tuesday, attorneys for the AMCC told the court that they intended to “go back to square one” and award the licenses for a third time, addressing concerns that the procedures for the Commission had violated Alabama’s open meetings law. The plan was tentatively set to again award the licenses on September 19. That plan now appears to be on hold, and no date has been set for the third license awards meeting. Montgomery Circuit Court Judge James Anderson extended his temporary restraining order on the final issuing of the licenses to September 6. “The commission’s action today, while pausing the process, furthers that goal by attempting to avoid additional legal challenges,” said Commission Chairman Rex Vaughn. “We understand that litigation is an obstacle, just as it has been in every other state that has a medical cannabis program. However, we appreciate and join in the court’s commitment to seeing that Alabama’s program becomes operational sooner rather than later.” Chey Garrigan is the Executive Director of the Alabama Cannabis Industry Association (ACIA). “Every day, I get letters and emails from Alabamians who are seeking relief from medical cannabis,” Garrigan said. “We should have had this up and off the ground in September 2021. The people who were not in the courtroom today are not being represented. How many times are we going to have to go through these applications?” Marty Schelper is the President of the Alabama Cannabis Coalition. Schelper disagreed with Garrigan. “The Alabama Cannabis Coalition does not agree with Ms. Garrigan’s position on just hurry this up without fully resolving the matters at hand,” Schelper said. “This legislation was set up to fail because the state decided to create a “Legal” drug cartel, limiting licenses and picking who could participate (and yes, we know there was and is a grading process).” “Free Market Capitalism and competition in the market is good for business and the consumers,” Schelper continued. “Open the markets up to anyone who passes the “litmus test” to operate in Alabama, that has the capital to pay the exorbitant state licensing fees and develop their business model. The position of the Alabama Cannabis Coalition is that the Alabama Legislature needs to be called back to Montgomery in a special session and resolve this once and for all. These lawsuits will continue until this legislation is amended, and the sick, suffering, and dying citizens will remain the victims. Garrigan responded, “Calling a special session to amend the cannabis bill is not realistic. We need real solutions.” The Alabama Legislature passed, and the Governor signed landmark medical cannabis legislation in May 2021, creating the AMCC to regulate the new industry in the state. Most observers understood even then that applicants who were not awarded a license would turn to the courts to seek injunctive relief. That very predictable process is what is playing out now in the courts. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Medical Marijuana Commission awards cannabis industry licenses
On Thursday, the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) awarded medical cannabis licenses to 24 different entities for the inaugural Alabama cannabis industry – under authority granted to the Commission by the Alabama Legislature in 2021. Five entities were granted integrated facility licenses: · Insa Alabama, LLC · Flowerwood Medical Cannabis, LLC · Southeast Cannabis Company, LLC · Sustainable Alabama, LLC · TheraTrue Alabama, LLC In June, Flowerwood, Southeast Cannabis, Sustainable Alabama, and TheraTrue were awarded integrator licenses by the AMCC as well as Verano Alabama, LLC. Those license awards were suspended just days later after the AMCC discovered tabulation errors in the tabulation of the scores. Verano was not awarded a license in this do-over by the Commission, but Insa Alabama was. Seven entities were awarded cultivator licenses on Thursday: · Gulf Shore Remedies, LLC · Pure by Sirmon Farms, LLC · Blackberry Farms, LLC · Twisted Herb Cultivation, LLC · I AM FARMS · Greenway Botanicals, LLC · CRC of Alabama, LLC In the previous round of awards, Blackberry Farms, LLC, Gulf Shore Remedies, Pure by Sirmon Farms, and Twisted Herb Cultivation all received awards. All four still received awards on Thursday, but they were joined by I AM FARMS, Greenway, and CRC of Alabama. This was still less than the twelve maximum cultivator licenses allowed by the 2021 enabling legislation. Four entities were granted marijuana processor licenses. · Enchanted Green, LLC · 1819 Labs, LLC · Organic Harvest Lab, LLC · Jasper Development Group Inc. In June, all four of the same entities were awarded licenses. There was no change in this category on Thursday. On Thursday, the AMCC voted to give medical cannabis dispensary licenses to: · Yellowhammer Medical Dispensaries, LLC · CCS of Alabama, LLC · RJK Holdings AL, LLC · Statewide Property Holdings AL, LLC CCS of Alabama, Yellowhammer Medical, RJK Holdings, and Statewide Properties received awards in June as well. There were no changes by the AMCC in this category. Three entities were granted secure transporter licenses on Thursday. · Tyler Van Lines, LLC · International Communication, LLC · XLCR, Inc. In June, the Commission announced awards to International Communication and Tyler Van Lines. Alabama Secure Transport, LLC received an award in June but was replaced by XLCR, Inc. in Thursday’s grant awards. The AMCC awarded only one license for the certified state testing laboratory. That award went to Certus Laboratories – the same as in June. Rex Vaughn, a farmer, has replaced Dr. Steven Stokes, an oncologist, as the Chairman of the Commission. “Since the Commission’s inception, we have worked to develop a fair, honest, and equitable process to select licensees,” explained Chairman Rex Vaughn. “It is regrettable that the tabulation errors occurred. However, we have acknowledged the miscalculations and have taken the necessary steps to ensure that the data provided to the Commission was accurate. We are sincerely appreciative of the Court for allowing us to take corrective actions.” According to the AMCC, the University of South Alabama (USA) was engaged by the AMCC to coordinate the application review process and recruit evaluators to assess the scored exhibit items for all 90 applicants. USA utilized 66 evaluators with experience relevant to the application content to review one of eight scoring categories: (1) Financial Ability; (2) Business/Management Approach; (3) Operations Plans & Procedures; (4) Facility Suitability & Infrastructure; (5) Security Plan; (6) Personnel; (7) Quality Control & Testing; or (8) Marketing & Advertising. Each scored exhibit was independently reviewed by two evaluators to assess the applicant’s solvency, stability, suitability, capability, projected efficiency, and experience, both in relation to any baseline set by the Commission, as well as in comparison with other applicants. Applicants who did not receive awards in June brought a lawsuit asking a judge to stay those awards. Nothing happened on Thursday that is likely to satisfy those plaintiffs, so the next phase of this process could potentially be in a Montgomery courtroom. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission awards licenses
On Thursday, the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) met in Montgomery to award licenses to 24 entities for the fledgling Alabama medical cannabis industry. These 24 were chosen from a pool of 90 applications accepted by the Commission. The AMCC had previously awarded 23 medical cannabis licenses in June. Errors were later discovered in how the scores were tabulated, so the licensing process was suspended pending an outside review of the AMCC’s processes, and those license awards were stayed. Confident that those problems are behind them, the AMCC awarded the licenses on Thursday. Rex Vaughn is the Chairman of the Commission. “Since the Commission’s inception, we have worked to develop a fair, honest, and equitable process to select licensees,” explained Chairman Vaughn. “It is regrettable that the tabulation errors occurred. However, we have acknowledged the miscalculations and have taken the necessary steps to ensure that the data provided to the Commission was accurate. We are sincerely appreciative of the Court for allowing us to take corrective actions.” Dr. Sam Blakemore is the Vice Chairman of the AMCC and a pharmacist. “Formulating the application process, assessing all 90 applications, and making determinations on who to award licenses to has been a monumental task,” explained Vice Chairman Blakemore. “We received numerous applications from applicants who would make terrific licensees, which made the selection process extremely competitive. I have spent countless hours reviewing the applications myself and feel confident that we have selected a great slate of licensees.” The Commission awarded licenses for marijuana growers, processors, transporters, dispensaries, and integrated facilities. An integrated facility does everything under one entity. There were also licenses awarded for cannabis laboratories. The most sought-after license was the one for integrated facilities. The University of South Alabama (USA) was engaged by AMCC to coordinate the application review process and recruit evaluators to assess the scored exhibit items for all 90 applicants. USA utilized 66 evaluators with experience relevant to the application content to review one of eight scoring categories: (1) Financial Ability; (2) Business/Management Approach; (3) Operations Plans & Procedures; (4) Facility Suitability & Infrastructure; (5) Security Plan; (6) Personnel; (7) Quality Control & Testing; or (8) Marketing & Advertising. Chey Garrigan is the founder and executive director of the Alabama Cannabis Industry Association (ALCIA) – an affiliate of the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA). “The Alabama Cannabis Industry Association congratulates the ones who were awarded Alabama’s first historical medical cannabis licenses,” Garrigan said in a statement. “This is only the beginning.” ‘Now, it’s time to get to work and provide products for patients with a qualifying illness,” Garrigan said. “Patient count will be the deciding factor to a licensee’s success or failure.” The Alabama Medical Cannabis Industry Coalition, which represents several of the entities that were awarded licenses, also responded to Thursday’s AMCC licensure awards. “We applaud the efforts of the commission today,” the Cannabis Coalition said in a written statement. “The additional review by the independent auditors KPMG, along with procedural changes by the board, delivered what should be a respected decision. There will, of course, be those who are disappointed because they didn’t win. Everyone knew there would be losers because there were more applicants than there were licenses. And, of course, there will be litigation because, among those who lost, there are deep pockets.” There is a strong likelihood that applicants denied by the AMCC on Thursday will seek relief from the courts. There have already been several lawsuits during the application process. “We need to bring closure to this portion of the process and move towards verifying the ability of the awardees to deliver on what they have promised,” the Cannabis Coalition added. “In this next stage, the new licensees must show their ability to deliver on their commitments. We need to see this next step completed so that we can determine if there will be new vacancies among the segments to which other applicants could fill the void.” Both the ACIA and the Cannabis Coalition felt additional legislation is needed. “On the federal level, we support the Safe Banking Act,” Garrigan said. “We (ALCIA) are one of very few Southern Cannabis Associations included in the petitions that influence both our U.S. Senators to openly support safe banking.” Under current federal law, banks may not be involved in the cannabis industry as marijuana remains illegal. This means that business-to-business transactions and consumer-to-business transactions are normally done with large amounts of cash rather than credit cards or checks. U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) has advocated for the passage of the Safe Banking Act to allow these businesses to access the banking system. The Alabama Legislature passed, and Governor Kay Ivey (R) signed legislation making medical cannabis legal in the state of Alabama in 2021. That legislation established the AMCC and authorized it to regulate the establishment of a medical cannabis industry in Alabama. Medical cannabis will be tightly regulated in Alabama. All of the cannabis will be grown and processed in Alabama. The state will not export or import products to other states into Alabama. Dispensaries in the state will not honor medical cannabis cards from other states. THC limits are tightly controlled by the original legislation, except where the patient is terminal. No smokable product will be sold, and no raw plant product will be sold. “Home-grow” of marijuana plants for personal use will remain illegal in Alabama. Garrigan said that the Legislative session will begin early next year to consider adjustments to the original legislation. “We have begun to draft bills and secure sponsors in the Legislature,” Garrigan said. “The legislature will return in 2024,” the Cannabis Coalition said. “They have the ability to expand licenses if they feel the process wasn’t perfect or there are additional needs.” Only doctors who have gone through special training will be allowed to issue marijuana recommendations, and only patients with one of the listed qualifying conditions may receive a recommendation for cannabis from their doctor. The AMCC said that Under the rules promulgated by the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners, physicians may begin the certification process to recommend medical cannabis to patients
Marijuana licenses expected to be awarded on Thursday
The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) will meet on Thursday. On the proposed agenda for Thursday’s meeting will be awarding medical cannabis licenses. The AMCC previously awarded licenses to a number of entities in June. Days later, the Commission suspended those license awards after errors were found in the scoring of some of the applications. On Monday, Montgomery Judge James Anderson ruled that the AMCC could proceed with discussions on license applicants at their August 10 meeting, provided that the Commission abides by the Alabama Open Meetings Act. The temporary restraining order that Judge Anderson previously issued staying the licensing process will expire once the Commission announces the award of licenses on August 10. Some applicants who were denied licenses sued the Commission, and that lawsuit is proceeding. Those plaintiffs will be closely monitoring what the AMCC does on Thursday, as that directly impacts how they proceed with their litigation. The AMCC is expected to award licenses for cultivators, processors, laboratories, transporters, dispensaries, and integrated facilities. The integrator license was the license that was most in demand by applicants. Applicants were not allowed to apply in multiple categories. Chey Garrigan is the founder and CEO of the Alabama Cannabis Industry Association (ACIA). “We are confident that the Commission has resolved the scoring issues, and we look forward to working with all of the licensees as we build the medical cannabis industry into a new vibrant sector of the Alabama economy,” Garrigan said. The Commission will also have to select a new chair. Rex Vaughn, whose expertise is in agriculture, is the vice chair and is expected to be appointed as the new chairman. Former Chairman Dr. Steven Stokes resigned after receiving criticism for serving as both the Chair of the AMCC and serving on the board of the University of South Alabama. The University of South Alabama (USA) was tasked with evaluating and scoring the applications. According to some reports, USA may have made some errors in tabulating those scores leading to the suspension of the license awards. Stokes is a Dothan-based oncologist who has treated cancer patients both in Alabama, where cannabis is not a legal option, and Florida, which has had medical cannabis for years. Stokes played a key role in the 2019 Alabama Medical Cannabis Study Commission that drafted the bill that eventually became Alabama’s medical cannabis law that passed in 2021. That legislation created the AMCC and tasked it with writing the rules for creating legal, medical cannabis in Alabama and regulating the fledging Alabama medical cannabis industry. Since marijuana is presently illegal in Alabama, all of the infrastructure for the cannabis industry has to be built, the first crop grown from seed, that crop processed into an AMCC-approved form, and that product transported to the new dispensaries before any medical cannabis is sold to any patients. Possession of cannabis in its raw plant form, including seeds and plants, will remain illegal in Alabama unless you are licensed by the AMCC. No smokable products will be legally sold in the state. There will likely be more litigation even after the Commission makes its license awards on Thursday. The first legal Alabama-grown and processed medical cannabis will likely not be available until early 2024 – at the earliest. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama cannabis license awards announced
On Monday, the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) met and voted to award the state of Alabama’s first-ever medical cannabis business licenses. Of the 90 applications accepted by the Commission at their meeting on April 13, just 21 were awarded licenses by the AMCC. The 2021 legislation legalizing medical cannabis in Alabama created the AMCC. It tasked the Commission with regulating the industry and awarding the permits to the integrated facilities, cultivators, secure transporters, processors, and diagnostic labs that the state will allow to participate in this industry. The medical cannabis business licenses were awarded to the following applicants. There were five integrated facility licenses awarded. These went to Flowerwood Medical Cannabis, LLC; Southeast Cannabis Company, LLC; Sustainable Alabama, LLC; TheraTrue Alabama, LLC; and Verano Alabama, LLC. Only four cultivator licenses were awarded. These went to Blackberry Farms, LLC.; Gulf Shore Remedies, LLC; Pure by Sirmon Farms, LLC; and Twisted Herb Cultivation, LLC. Four processor licenses were awarded. These went to 1819 Labs, LLC; Enchanted Green, LLC; Jasper Development Group Inc.; and Organic Harvest Lab, LLC. Four dispensary licenses were awarded. These went to CCS of Alabama, LLC; RJK Holdings AL, LLC; Statewide Property Holdings AL, LLC; and Yellowhammer Medical Dispensaries, LLC. Three secure transport licenses were awarded. These went to Alabama Secure Transport, LLC; International Communication, LLC; and Tyler Van Lines, LLC. Certus Laboratories was awarded the license to be the state’s only licensed state testing laboratory. The Legislature authorized the Commission to award up to twelve cultivator licenses, four processor licenses, four dispensary licenses, five integrated facility licenses, and an unspecified number of secure transport and state testing laboratory licenses. The Commission elected to award fewer licenses, particularly the cultivator licenses than they were allowed to by the legislation. “There was no shortage of qualified individuals and entities who provided applications for us to consider,” explained Commission Chairman Dr. Steven Stokes. “Based on the evaluators’ assessments and the Commission’s considerations, we believe that we have selected an outstanding slate of inaugural licensees to represent Alabama’s new medical cannabis industry.” At first glance, it seems like four licensed processors depending on supply from just four licensed cultivators might be problematic for processors concerned about supply. Vice Chairman Rex Vaughn, however, announced at the meeting that the Commission intends to open a second offering of licenses for cultivators, secure transporters, and state testing laboratories. “The Commission looks forward to affording more opportunities for individuals to participate in the industry,” explained Vice Chairman Vaughn. “These businesses will not only serve the patients of Alabama but provide business and job opportunities for local communities.” The University of South Alabama (USA) was engaged by AMCC to coordinate the application review process and recruit evaluators to assess the scored exhibit items for all 90 applicants. USA utilized 66 evaluators with experience relevant to the application content to review one of eight scoring categories: (1) Financial Ability; (2) Business/Management Approach; (3) Operations Plans & Procedures; (4) Facility Suitability & Infrastructure; (5) Security Plan; (6) Personnel; (7) Quality Control & Testing; or (8) Marketing & Advertising. Each scored exhibit was independently reviewed by two evaluators to assess the applicant’s solvency, stability, suitability, capability, projected efficiency, and experience, both in relation to any baseline set by the Commission, as well as in comparison with other applicants. “The Commission has worked diligently since the passage of the Darren Wesley “Ato” Hall Act to develop regulations and policies to facilitate an effective and safe medical cannabis industry,” explained Commission Director John McMillan. “We are excited to begin working with those applicants who were awarded licenses to meet the needs of so many Alabamians who are living with debilitating conditions that can benefit from medical cannabis.” The applicants awarded a license now have 14 days to pay the AMCC the appropriate license fee to the Commission. At its meeting on July 10, 2023, the Commission is scheduled to formally issue the licenses in each license category. There remains a possibility that those final license awards could be further delayed if one or more of the 69 applicants the AMCC rejected appeal the decision to the courts. Litigation, in theory, could delay this process for weeks or even months. In order for a doctor to be qualified to make a medical cannabis recommendation, they must become certified. Under the rules promulgated by the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners, physicians may begin the certification process to recommend medical cannabis after the business licenses have been issued. In order for a patient to be able to purchase Alabama medical cannabis products, they must have at least one of the qualifying conditions and then receive a recommendation for medical cannabis from a certified physician. Medical cannabis products that may be recommended to patients include tablets, capsules, tinctures, gelatinous cubes, gels, oils or creams for topical use, suppositories, transdermal patches, nebulizers, or liquids or oils for use in an inhaler. Raw plant materials and any smokable or vaped products will not be allowed and will remain illegal to possess, even for those with an Alabama Medical Cannabis card. People with a legitimate medical need for cannabis should be able to purchase products in Alabama by the end of this year. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Katie Britt urges voters to vote for Republicans up and down the ballot
On Monday, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, Katie Britt, was joined at a rally in Madison by Republican leaders across the state of Alabama in Huntsville. U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) expressed her support for Britt and urged everyone to encourage their friends to go to the polls to vote for Britt and other Republicans on November 8. Britt urged voters to vote “for Republicans up and down the ballot.” Speaker of the House Mac McCutcheon said, “We have a lot of great leaders here for our state and nation. Thank you, Sen. Blackburn, for being here. I want to thank everyone for coming here. We have an election coming up. I want to tell you that this is a very important election for this state and also for this nation as well. Go vote and take someone with you as well. Rex Vaughn with the Alabama Farmers Federation (ALFA) said he met with Katie Britt when she began her campaign. “We talked about what it would take to get the ALFA and Farmers Federation endorsement,” Vaughn said. “It was a tall order. She was down 40 points in name identification.” “I thought that Tommy Tuberville could not be surpassed (in working hard on the campaign trail), but she did,” Vaugh said. “We (the Farmers’ Federation) were told by many political experts across this state that we would regret our endorsement of her.” Britt defeated Congressman Mo Brooks and businessman and veteran Mike Durant in the Republican primary. She appears poised to take the Senate seat in one week. “I want you to leave here and contact ten and hopefully twenty people that you know and tell them to come out to vote,” said McCutcheon. McCutcheon urged voters to support the Republican nominees. “All of the (Republican) candidates are in unison to come together and move us forward,” McCutcheon said. “We are here on election eve, and I am so excited by what w are going to see here Tuesday,” said Congressman Robert Aderholt. “I am so happy to be here with people from both the Fourth and Fifth Congressional Districts. It is an honor to be joined here by Sen. Blackburn. I have watched her from a distance, and she is someone who both says she is a conservative and is a conservative. As Marsha and I know, there are some people in Washington who give lip service to being conservative but don’t walk the walk.” “I am so excited to be here,” Sen. Blackburn said. “What a great crowd for Monday morning. Alabama is going to help us to fire Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi. Once we do that, you are going to have Chairman Aderholt (House Appropriations). We are looking forward to that. I look forward to Dale Strong coming to Congress. I have gotten to meet him. We are so excited that Katie is running. We are so excited for all the energy and enthusiasm that she brings to this race.” “I fully believe that, and you believe, that America’s best days are ahead of us,” Blackburn said. “We cannot win if we do not get out the vote. We cannot send the message that North Alabama is not purple, but red if we do not get people out to vote.” Blackburn continued, “The message this year: people are all concerned about inflation, are all concerned about the crisis on the border. This year you have got such a great opportunity from the local level to the state level to the federal level to send that message.” Blackburn commented about Britt, “You are going to send an absolute fireball to the U.S. Senate. She is going to do a great job working with Sen. Tuberville. I cannot wait to have her in the U.S. Senate.” “Thank you for your continued service. I cannot wait to serve alongside you,” Britt said of Blackburn. “Look at this crowd. I cannot believe so many people came out on a Monday with Halloween and school and so much going on.” “If we are going to put this nation back on the right track, we are going to have to do it by putting in Republicans from the top to the bottom of the ballot,” Britt continued. “We knew that we believed in the state and the nation. If our generation at age 40 does not stand up, then we will be the first generation who leaves our children a worse nation than the one that we grew up in. We have to stand up and fight for our children and grandchildren, or they might not have much left to fight for.” “Under Joe Biden’s failed leadership, he has left our border open to human traffickers, drug traffickers, and terrorists,” Britt said. “Rest assured that when I am in the Senate, I will stand alongside Senator Tuberville, Senator Cotton, and Senator Blackburn to make sure that we will not let the Chinese government buy up our farmland.” State Senate Majority Leader Clay Scofield said that Alabama Republican leadership has been more positive than Democrat leadership. “The state was in terrible shape, our budgets were in terrible shape, our ethics laws were nonexistent,” Scofield argued. “Our schools were in terrible shape. Why would we go back to that? We have two Senators on the ballot in Madison County next week: Sen. Tom Butler and Sen. Sam Givhan. I serve with these two men not just in the State Senate but serving with them on the Madison County Delegation. They are effective for us in Madison County.” House Majority Leader Nathaniel Ledbetter urged residents of Madison County to support Republican candidates Dr. David Cole and Phillip Rigsby, who are in hotly contested races with Democrats. “November 8 is a big day for Madison County,” Ledbetter said. “One of two things are going to happen. Madison County is going to set the stake for the state, or it’s going to fail.” Britt urged voters to vote for Republican Greg Cooke for Alabama Supreme Court. Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth stated, “We are on fire with this economy. The talk was we were going to lose a congressional seat, then we were going to lose two congressional
