HUNTSVILLE, Ala. [WHNT] —
The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission is now facing a new legal challenge, nearly four years after the state legalized medical marijuana in 2021. Despite that legalization, patients across Alabama still cannot legally access medical cannabis due to persistent delays and unresolved issues within the state’s regulatory framework.
On Friday, a group of five families filed a lawsuit in Montgomery on behalf of their children, each of whom reportedly suffers from medical conditions that could be effectively treated with medical cannabis. The lawsuit claims that the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission has failed to take several crucial, legally mandated steps needed to make that treatment a practical option.
Unlike the ongoing legal disputes over the business licensing process for medical marijuana companies—issues that have been tied up in court for nearly two years—this new lawsuit centers on patient access. Specifically, it challenges the commission’s failure to establish a patient and caregiver registry, which is required by law. The registry would identify individuals eligible to receive and recommend medical cannabis in the state.
According to the lawsuit, the commission was legally obligated to have this registry in place by September 1, 2022, more than a year and a half ago. Without the database, patients and caregivers have no formal way to be certified or to legally obtain medical cannabis, effectively blocking access to treatment despite its legal status.
Currently, the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission’s website indicates that the registry system is still under development. It also notes that no caregivers or patients are being registered at this time. The website further states that once business licenses are fully issued, caregivers will then be able to begin the certification process required to recommend cannabis for qualified patients.
The latest lawsuit underscores the growing frustration among families and advocates who say the delays are not just bureaucratic, but harmful to patients in need of relief. With the legal infrastructure in place but the practical rollout stalled, critics argue that Alabama’s medical marijuana program remains largely theoretical.
News 19 reached out to the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission on Monday for comment regarding the lawsuit and the status of the patient registry. As of publication, the commission has not provided a response.
