HUNTSVILLE — The city of Huntsville is taking steps toward participating in Alabama’s new medical cannabis system.
According to the Huntsville city blog, the city’s administration said making medical cannabis products available to qualified patients under the care of a physician would be beneficial for those with chronic and terminal illnesses.
Alabama is the 37th state to allow the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. The law creating Alabama’s medical cannabis system received bipartisan support in the state Legislature.
“We’re taking a thoughtful and measured approach to make certain we get this right,” said Mayor Tommy Battle.
The city is proposing a zoning plan, which will be in addition to the heavy levels of state regulation implemented by the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission, according to the blog. Huntsville’s Planning Commission will begin evaluating zoning recommendations today.
As required by recently enacted state law, municipal governments must pass an ordinance and inform the state if they wish to allow dispensing sites to operate in their communities. At the City Council’s meeting Thursday, the city will introduce an ordinance authorizing dispensing sites in Huntsville.
Following Council consideration, a vote could come two weeks later. If council approves the ordinance on Oct. 27, the city will finalize a zoning plan and implement any needed changes to city license and tax requirements.
Battle said Alabama’s medical cannabis program does not legalize or sanction recreational marijuana, according to the blog. Rather, it is a strictly controlled and highly regulated program intended to provide a medical grade product in the authorized form of tablets, cubes, topicals, suppositories, patches, nebulizers and inhalable liquids.
The conditions for use of medicinal cannabis include cancer-related pain, weight loss, and vomiting; autism spectrum disorder; Crohn’s disease; depression; epilepsy or conditions causing seizures; HIV/AIDS-related nausea or weight loss; panic disorder; Parkinson’s disease; persistent nausea that it not responsive to traditional treatment; post-traumatic stress disorder; sickle cell anemia; spasticity associated with Multiple Sclerosis or spinal cord injury; Tourette’s syndrome; a terminal illness; and conditions causing chronic or intractable pain.
The earliest anticipated date dispensaries could be operable would be mid-2023 after the AMCC grants the licenses. More information is available at amcc.alabama.gov.
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