Alabama’s Medical Marijuana Market Set to Launch May 4
- Alabama’s first medical marijuana dispensary, Callie’s Apothecary, is set to open in Montgomery on May 4, marking the start of the state’s medical marijuana sales.
- By summer, regulators expect nine dispensaries operated by three licensed companies to be operational, with over 40 physicians approved to recommend medical marijuana.
- The rollout was delayed nearly five years due to lawsuits, licensing disputes, and repeated reviews of the application process, extending the timeline well beyond the original plan.
- Despite the upcoming launch, controversy remains over the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission’s practices, including concerns from a state audit and proposed legislative changes to the commission’s structure and member selection.
After years of delays, court fights and repeated licensing setbacks, Alabama’s medical marijuana industry is now on the verge of opening its first dispensary.
State officials say Callie’s Apothecary is expected to begin operations in Montgomery on May 4, making it the first dispensary to launch under Alabama’s medical marijuana law. The opening is expected to mark the beginning of a broader rollout that regulators say should bring nine dispensaries operated by three licensed companies online by this summer.
According to the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission, more than 40 physicians have already been approved to recommend medical marijuana.
The start of sales comes nearly five years after Alabama enacted its medical marijuana law in 2021. What was supposed to be a much quicker rollout became bogged down by lawsuits from unsuccessful applicants and repeated disputes over how licenses were awarded. Those conflicts forced the commission to revisit parts of the licensing process multiple times, delaying the market’s launch well past its original target.
Even as sales prepare to begin, controversy surrounding the commission has not gone away. A recent state audit raised concerns over record-keeping, compliance with open meetings requirements, the agency’s fee structure, and an overpayment to an outside law firm totaling more than $204,000. Multiple bills have been filed this session in the state’s legislature that would alter how the commission is structured or how members are selected.
Still, with a firm opening date now in place, Alabama appears closer than ever to finally moving its medical marijuana program from paper to practice.