SB165 Alabama 2020 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Tim MelsonSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2020

Title

Medical Marijuana, program established to allow use of for certain conditions, defense against prosecution for marijuana possession established, Secs. 20-2A-1 to 20-2A-10, incl., 20-2A-20 to 20-2A-23, incl., 20-2A-30 to 20-2A-36, incl., 20-2A-50 to 20-2A-68, incl., added; Sec. 13A-7-2 am'd.

Summary

SB165 creates a regulated Compassion Act in Alabama that allows qualified patients to use medical cannabis under a state-licensed system.

What This Bill Does

It establishes the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission to license cultivation, processing, storage, testing, and dispensing of medical cannabis, and to run a patient registry with medical cannabis cards. It creates a seed-to-sale tracking system, defines qualifying medical conditions, sets dosage and potency limits (including a 60 daily dosage purchase limit and 70 daily dosages in possession, with a 75 mg daily delta-9-THC cap and a 3% THC limit for minors), and imposes a 9% gross receipts tax on retail sales plus an annual license privilege tax. It requires product safety rules, labeling, and packaging standards, creates the Medical Cannabis Research Consortium and Fund, provides certain immunities for patients and physicians, and imposes rules affecting employers, workers’ compensation, and nonresident temporary registrations. It also amends criminal trespass, establishes reporting requirements, and makes local funding changes under constitutional exceptions.

Who It Affects

• Qualifying patients (and, for minors, their designated caregivers) who can register, obtain a medical cannabis card, and purchase/use medical cannabis within defined limits.
• Licensed professionals and business entities (physicians who certify patients, and cultivators, processors, transporters, testing labs, dispensaries, and integrated facilities) who must meet licensing, regulatory, and ethical requirements and are subject to oversight and penalties.

Key Provisions

• Creates the Compassion Act and the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission to license and regulate cultivation, processing, transporting, testing, and dispensing of medical cannabis.
• Establishes a patient registry and requires physician certifications, patient/caregiver registrations, and medical cannabis cards; allows nonresident patients to obtain temporary cards for up to 60 days.
• Implements a seed-to-sale statewide tracking system linking cultivation to dispensing; requires licensed facilities to report purchases, inventory, and transfers; mandates testing and labeling standards; imposes universal state symbol on packaging.
• Qualifying medical conditions are defined; daily purchasing limit is 60 daily dosages (with a 10-day grace before renewal) and possession limit of 70 daily dosages; minors cannot be dosed above 3% THC; maximum daily dosage for any condition capped at 75 mg delta-9-THC.
• Prohibits raw plant material, smoking, and vaping of medical cannabis; requires child-resistant packaging, clear labeling, and warnings; restricts advertising and requires dispensers to be trained and certified.
• Imposes a 9% gross proceeds tax on retail medical cannabis and a state-level annual privilege tax for licensees; distributes excess Medical Cannabis Commission Fund revenue to the General Fund (60%) and Medical Cannabis Research Fund (30%) starting October 1, 2025.
• Provides civil and criminal immunities for patients, registered caregivers, and physicians acting within the act; protections for hospitals and certain employers; limits workers’ compensation impacts related to medical cannabis impairment.
• Creates the Medical Cannabis Research Consortium and a dedicated Medical Cannabis Research Fund to fund research and disseminate findings; requires annual reporting to the Legislature.
• Regulates advertising, signage, and facility locations (dispensing sites must be at least 1,000 feet from schools/child facilities); tobacco-style restrictions apply to packaging and labeling; and crime penalties for diversion and certain violations are established.
• Amends Section 13A-7-2 to add criminal trespass in the first degree for cultivators, processors, and integrated facilities; clarifies local fund expenditure considerations with constitutional exceptions.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 23, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Marijuana