Caught Between Courts and Patients: Alabama’s Struggle to Get Medical Cannabis to Those in Need

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama’s medical cannabis program is caught in a frustrating tug-of-war between legal disputes and the urgent needs of patients. Despite the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) awarding two new cultivator licenses, the rollout of medical marijuana remains stalled, leaving many patients in desperate need of relief.

The commission’s efforts to move forward with licensing have been met with a barrage of lawsuits from companies denied licenses to grow, process, and sell medical marijuana. These legal challenges have effectively put the entire program on hold, as the state grapples with how to balance the interests of applicants and the pressing medical needs of its residents.

Loree Skelton, a healthcare lawyer and member of the AMCC, voiced her growing concern over the endless litigation.

“There are people out there who are in desperate need of this medication,” Skelton said during a recent meeting, emphasizing the human impact of these delays. She questioned what steps were being taken to resolve the legal standoff and expedite access to medical marijuana.

The legal deadlock is not just an administrative headache; it has real consequences for patients across the state who have been waiting for access to medical cannabis. The delays are especially frustrating as Alabama is one of the last states in the region to implement a medical marijuana program, and each setback only prolongs the suffering of patients who could benefit from this treatment.

Mark Wilkerson, attorney for the AMCC, explained that at least one company, Alabama Always, had asked the court to appoint a special master—a neutral party who could help untangle the legal issues and move the program forward. However, the likelihood of this happening is uncertain. The appointment of a special master would require agreement from all parties involved, something that AMCC member and pharmacist Sam Blakemore noted is unlikely.

Still, Blakemore shared Skelton’s sense of urgency, stating that the commission must explore all options to get medical cannabis to patients as quickly as possible. “Hopefully we can at least get some dispensaries up and going before the end of the year,” Blakemore said. Even the issuance of a single dispensary license, he argued, could make a significant difference for patients.

Despite the legal challenges, the AMCC did award two new cultivator licenses to Pure by Sirmon Farms and Blackberry Farms. However, due to ongoing litigation, these companies, like others before them, will have to place their products in "freeze mode" until the disputes over integrator and dispensary licenses are resolved.

As the legal battles continue, the frustration grows—not just among the commission members, but most importantly, among the patients who are still waiting for the medicine they need. The struggle to balance legal procedures with the urgent health needs of Alabama’s residents is proving to be a difficult challenge, one that the state must address sooner rather than later.

What should Alabama prioritize in the medical cannabis rollout—resolving legal disputes or getting medicine to patients as quickly as possible?