Louisiana gives patients access to medical smokable Marihuana
Patients in the state will now be able to have a smoke for medical purposes.
Frank LehmannSeptember 24, 2026
Louisiana state lawmakers passed bill on Wednesday that would allow patients in the state's medical marijuana program to gain access to smokable forms of cannabis. The measure, House Bill 391, was passed 76-17 in the Louisiana House of Representatives after it was approved by the state Senate by 23-14 votes last month. Under the newly passed measure, registered patients in Louisiana's medical marijuana program will be allowed to possess and use untreated, smokable forms of cannabis. Current rules of the program only allow patients access to medical marijuana products, including topical products, tinctures, gums, and inhalers that deliver a metered dose of vaporized cannabis. Raw flower marijuana is not allowed and smoking medical marijuana products is also not allowed. House of Representatives Republican spokesman Tanner Magee, sponsor of the bill, told local media that the approved products were too expensive for many of the state's medical marijuana patients. "Most of the products are not covered by insurance," Magee said. "This is one way of offering a more affordable option." HB 391 was originally passed by lawmakers in the Louisiana House of Representatives in May. However, the law was changed in the Senate so that the House of Representatives had to vote again on the revised version. The move received overwhelming bipartisan support from both houses of the Louisiana state legislature. "This is very popular in every corner of the state and it's what people want and what people need," Magee said. Republican MP Larry Bagley, who noted that he has never smoked marijuana, said cannabis was a miracle drug to a close relative who lives in chronic pain. "I've seen the relief it can provide," said Bagley. Now that the compromise version of the measure has been adopted by both houses of the Louisiana Legislature, HB 391 is now going to the office of Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards. The governor is expected to sign the legislation, according to several reports in local media. House Bill 514, an amendment to HB 391 that would impose a tax on medicinal cannabis flowers, is currently under consideration by the Louisiana Senate. On Wednesday, the Senate Finance Committee approved an amended version of the law and referred the measure to the Senate for a vote. Louisiana state lawmakers are also debating a measure to decriminalize adult possession of small amounts of cannabis. Under the measure, House Bill 652, possession of up to 14 grams (about half an ounce) of cannabis would only result in a fine of up to $ 100 for first and second offenses. Minor marijuana possession violations would still be considered an offense but would no longer be punishable by prison sentences. "We don't have to fill our prisons with marijuana misdemeanors," Democratic MP Denise Marcelle, an advocate of the bill, told local media last month. The Louisiana House of Representatives approved HB 652 on May 11 by 67 votes to 24, with clear support from members of both major political parties. The bill is now waiting for a decision by the Senate. Some of Louisiana's largest cities, including New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Shreveport, have already taken steps to decriminalize low-level marijuana possession. In New Orleans, fines for first possession of cannabis are capped at just $ 40, while some city leaders are calling for the fine to be lowered even further to $ 1. In 2018, the Louisiana capital, Baton Rouge, abolished jail time as a possible punishment for possessing less than 14 grams of marijuana. Instead, they will be fined between $ 40 and $ 100, depending on the number of criminal records a particular defendant has. Shreveport's revised regulation is similar to HB 652.
