Medical marijuana business applications to be sent out Monday

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - Applications for Alabama businesses interested in getting a medical marijuana license are set to go out Monday.

The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) accepted requests for medical cannabis licenses from Sept. 1 to Oct. 17. It received 607 requests. The majority of the requests are from Madison, Jefferson, and Montgomery Counties.

Only businesses who submitted a request will receive a business application form Monday. According to the AMCC, requestors can apply for a cannabis license for an integrated facility, cultivator, processor, secure transporter, state testing laboratory, or dispensary.

It’s important to remember that if a city wishes to allow medical marijuana, it is required by state law for the city to pass an ordinance.

As of Monday, the commission has received resolutions or ordinances from a total of 23 local jurisdictions, including Owens Cross Roads and Cullman. The City of Huntsville is set to approve its ordinance later this week.

According to John McMillan, the director of the AMCC, the commission is in the early stages of this process, but he wants to point out that these applications are not for patients who are interested in medical marijuana.

”I do want to emphasize that those are purely businesses applications. At this point, it’ll be the middle of next year, at least, before we start getting recommendations from the medical community for patients,” said McMillan.

Businesses have until Dec. 30 to file their application. The commission will then review them and award licenses in June 2023.