Monday, the Alabama Political Reporter talked with Gail Ellis with the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries about industrial hemp and complaints from hemp farmers that their state licenses are too restrictive.

Ellis told APR that it is illegal in Alabama for a farmer to sell hemp material to the general public or to anyone without a hemp license.

The Alabama Political Reporter asked about the legality of smokable hemp products being widely marketed in the state.

A 15-person panel in Alabama convened for the first time Tuesday to consider whether medical marijuana is right for the state.

The panel, known as the Medical Cannabis Study Commission, was born out of a bill to legalize medical cannabis that was introduced in the Alabama state legislature earlier this year. As lawmakers called for more information, the legislation was shifted from a proposal to legalize medical marijuana to instead appoint a commission to study the issue.

Update: The K9, named Jake, died over the weekend, according to local media.

Original Story: A prison K9 in Alabama required CPR after a contraband raid last week exposed the animal to synthetic marijuana.

CBD products have been popping up all over Alabama, so it isn’t surprising if you have a few unanswered questions. This article will help answer some of those questions, and possibly those you didn’t realize you had, while also explaining the buzz.  We’ll talk about the science behind CBD as well as a little bit on the current laws. If you’ve got questions about CBD oil in Alabama, buckle up and read this article for the answers.

What is CBD?

First, we need to understand what CBD is.

It been thought of as just another fad or often mistaken as marijuana.

When searching for some of the most depraved parts of the United States, all one has to do is head south. This friendly area may give off the vibe as being a Bible-thumping cult of Jesus Crispies, a place that, for better or worse, is built on strict moral fiber and family traditions – and it might just be.

But it is also where the Devil lives.

Anyone who has ever spent time in New Orleans can attest to this. It’s where the bars seldom close and drugs, well, everything from cocaine to heroin is readily available on the streets. It’s no wonder why this is where you’ll find some of the highest addiction rates in the country.

Alabama has taken one more step towards becoming the 34th state to legalize medical marijuana. Early on Thursday morning, the state’s Senate voted 17-6 to approve HB 243 a.k.a. the CARE Act, which would establish a list of qualifying conditions for individuals seeking cannabis treatment, as well as a governmental agency to regulate the program.

The Alabama Senate on Wednesday began a historic debate on medical marijuana but adjourned before taking a vote on a bill authorizing it in the state. 

The measure, sponsored by Sen. Tim Melson, R-Florence, would allow the use of medical marijuana for certain conditions if other treatments prove ineffective. A patient would need recommendations from two physicians and would have to submit to random drug testing. 

“It’s not a Republican or Democrat issue to me,” said Melson, an anesthesiologist by training. “It’s a patient issue. And when you’ve got certain patients out there that have medical conditions and they can benefit from it, I think it’s time to give them the opportunity to participate in it.”

HB 243, better known as the CARE Act, has cleared the Alabama Senate Judiciary Committee and will now head to the full Senate just one month after Republican State Rep. and former Alabama Bureau of Investigation agent Mike Ball introduced the bill. Advancing out of committee represents a crucial step for the key medical marijuana legislation, bringing Alabama that much closer to a legal and regulated medical cannabis program.

A bill that would allow for limited legal medical marijuana sales in Alabama was advanced by state lawmakers earlier this week.

The bill was advanced in a 6-2 vote by the Senate Judiciary Committee following a public hearing. The bill will now be decided upon by the Alabama Senate.

If the bill passes, it would create a medical cannabis commission for cultivating, processing and establishing a licensing program for dispensaries that would depend on demand. The program would also include a registry system for patients to be issued medical cannabis cards. The bill would cap the THC content at 3 percent.