Securing an Alabama Medical Marijuana License
Three Key Dates for Applications: October 17, October 24 & December 30
The deadline to submit a request for medical marijuana license application forms in Alabama is fast approaching and ends on October 17, 2022.
Anyone who plans to apply for a license must submit the request through the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) website by this deadline.
High Stakes and Next Dates
Then, on October 24, the AMCC will send license application forms to requesters. Once the forms are sent, applicants will have until December 30, 2022, to submit the application.
Applicants should note that this is a relatively short window for action with no time to waste and no room for error. Our thorough review of the current regulations reveals the amount of work needed to score high on this competitive application and win a license.
The number of medical marijuana licenses that will be issued in Alabama is limited.
Integrated Facilities: No more than five integrated facility licenses will be issued, and each license may have up to five dispensing locations.
Cultivation: No more than 12 cultivator (grower) licenses are allowed to be issued.
Processor: No more than four processor licenses will be issued.
Dispensary: No more than four dispensary (retail) licenses will be issued. A dispensary license allows up to three dispensing locations.
Tips for a Competitive Environment for Licenses
The Commission’s most recent update on the number of application requests is as of September 7. Requests for applications were 31 for integrated facility licenses, 36 for cultivator licenses, four processor licenses, and 78 for dispensary licenses. The Commission is scheduled to meet on October 13 and the official number of application requests is sure to increase.
How to win a medical marijuana license is daunting and complex in every situation. In Alabama, we are already in a highly competitive application and for those wanting to get a license, here are some helpful things to keep in mind.
The AMCC has been committed to keeping to deadlines (some programs in other states have experienced delays) and at the end of Chapter 3 Regulations there is Appendix A that provides a timeline up until July 10, 2023 when licenses are to be issued, barring any ongoing appeals.
The Commission has stressed the importance of the role of Certified Dispensers. Certified Dispensers oversee the dispensing of medical cannabis to patients and this role was specifically created by the Commission. Chapter 8 Regulations provide details into requirements for this role.
Alabama is unique in that a cannabis product is not allowed to be smoked, combusted, or vaped and other than a non-sugar coated gelatinous cube or lozenge, food products often referred to as edibles, are not allowed. The state requires a detailed formulae list and this places more emphasis on finding a team member who is qualified to help their company meet these requirements.
Chapter 3 Application Requirements ask for three full calendar years of financial projections while Chapter 4 Licensee Requirements ask for five full calendar years of financial projections.
While we do not know what the page length requirements, if any, will be until the application is available, there is the very real possibility it could take hundreds of pages to fully answer all application requirements.
To win a license, you will need a dedicated team to understand the contents of the application, write to them, and provide a quality of work to outperform the growing list of applicants.
Be sure to know these key dates of when to apply for the Alabama medical marijuana licenses , know these details of how to apply, and be sure you have the right team to help you prepare your best application possible.