Alabama Governor Signs Medical Marijuana Bill Into Law

Alabama Governor Kay Ivy signed a law on Monday to legalize medical cannabis in the state.

Medical marijuana legalized in Alabama

After the Alabama Legislature passed the bill with 68-35 votes last month, Alabama Governor Ivy announced on Monday that it had approved Senate Bill 46, making Alabama the 37th state to legalize medical marijuana. did.

When the bill arrived at the governor’s desk, she had several options. She can either sign the bill, reject the bill, or propose an amendment to the bill for legislators to consider. Based on Governor Ivy’s post-voting comments that were controversial in the House of Representatives on the bill, she expressed little concern about legalization, and many supporters of the reform said that the Republican Governor would propose a change. I was hoping.

“It was a thorough debate, and yes, we continue to review it. It helps some people, but you just don’t want it to go out of control,” Ivy said. I spoke to WSFA-TV in Montgomery, Alabama. “But after a thorough examination of it, we hope we can sign the bill.”

What surprised many was that Governor Ivy chose to sign the bill as is. This is probably due to the bill’s already restrictive approach to medical marijuana. Under the bill, legal cannabis products are limited to tinctures, capsules, lozenges, topical, nebulizers, suppositories, and skin patches, administered by edible or “smoking, burning, or vaporizing marijuana.” “Products to be made” are not allowed.

“As research progresses, [lawmakers] And I talked about how important it is to continue to find ways to tackle this to ensure a productive, safe and responsible business in Alabama, “said Governor Ivy.

For Alabama representatives, a safe and responsible medical marijuana program means a rigorous list of eligible medical conditions for aspiring patients.

• Autism spectrum disorder
• Cancer-related nausea, weight loss or pain
• Crohn’s disease
• depression
• Epilepsy
• HIV-related nausea or weight loss
• panic disorder
• Parkinson’s disease
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Sickle cell anemia
• Spasticity associated with ALS or MS
• Terminal illness
• Tourette’s Syndrome

Fibromyalgia and menopause were included in previous iterations of the bill before the approved amendment was abolished. For patients with other conditions that cause chronic pain, participation in the program is only permitted if “conventional therapeutic interventions and drug therapy have been forbidden or proven to be ineffective”. ..

Senate Bill 46 also includes restrictions on healthcare professionals, as doctors are eligible to recommend cannabis to patients only after completing a four-hour course and passing the exam. This process can cost more than $ 800.

Despite the relatively restrictive nature of the law, advocates of legalization see the bill as a clear move in the right direction. This is a feeling that has been repeated by key leaders throughout Alabama.

“Signing SB46 is an important first step,” said Governor Ivy. “This is certainly a sensitive and emotional problem and is being studied continuously. At the state level, there is a research group that has scrutinized this problem and is a good medical cannabis for people with chronic illness. I’m curious about what they have, or what they can do to improve people’s quality of life. Their last day. “

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