Another Republican-led state calls for medical cannabis legalisation

The Alabama state legislature passed bill legalizing medical cannabis late Thursday and is one of several other American red states in various stages of advancing similar weed reform measures. Louisiana, Kansas and Tennessee took steps this week to open the medical market to varying degrees in their traditionally conservative jurisdictions. In Alabama, lawmakers passed a measure that would create a commission to regulate, license, and oversee the distribution of medical cannabis. The bill has been sent to Republican Governor Kay Ivey's desk, awaiting her final signature. Senate Bill 46 was passed with a two-to-one margin in both the House and Senate of Alabama late Thursday evening, despite a nine-hour Republican procrastination in a debate in the House on Tuesday. The measure would allow regulated access to medical cannabis for patients with a doctor's recommendation. To qualify for the program, patients would need to be diagnosed with at least one of approximately 20 approved diseases, including anxiety, sleep disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and persistent pain. The supervisory authorities could not allow further diseases, but leave this decision to the legislature in future legislative periods. Registered patients would receive medical cards. Vaping or smoking medical cannabis would be prohibited, while products such as gummy bears, oils or creams would be allowed. Patients will be able to purchase and possess up to 70 daily doses of "medical cannabis," with each dose containing a maximum of 50 milligrams of THC. The measure also includes a 9 percent sales tax. Business license applications will be available in the fall.