Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission awards licenses to integrated facilities

On Tuesday, the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) met and awarded integrator licenses to five business entities – the maximum number that the Commission is allowed to issue under the 2021 statute legalizing medical cannabis in the state of Alabama.

36 applicants applied for the integrator license, which allows the possessor to cultivate, process, securely transport, and dispense Alabama grown cannabis products to persons with a demonstrable medical need and a doctor’s recommendation.

The AMCC awarded the licenses for the cultivators, processors, secure transporters, dispensaries, and the state testing laboratory on December 1.

The five companies awarded licenses today were: Trulieve Alabama Inc., Sustainable Alabama, LLC, Wagon Trail Med-Serv LLC, Flowerwood Medical Cannabis, LLC, and Specialty Medical Products of Alabama, LLC.

Three applications were withdrawn. Two applicants did not respond to a pass/fail order from the AMCC and the Commission voted not to consider them. The Commission then considered nine applicants who were given notice of disqualifying deficiencies in their applications by the AMCC.

Commissioner Dwight Gamble made a motion that Alabama Medical Grow, LLC be eliminated from consideration. That motion passed, leaving 33 applicants. Commissioners then ranked the applicants 1 to 33 with 1 being the best and 33 being the least qualified applicant.

Sustainable Alabama, LLC, Wagon Trail Med-Serv, LLC, and Flowerwood Medical Cannabis, LLC were the highest ranking of the applicants. They were all awarded licenses.

Gemstone Alabama, LLC finished in fourth place in the Commission’s rating system; but when their name came up no commissioner would nominate them so their application was rejected from a lack of a sponsor.

Specialty Medical Products LLC was the fifth highest ranked applicant; but they jumped Gemstone to get the last license in a 8 to 1 vote.

The Commission then voted 9 to 0 to reject all of the remaining applications.

The Commission also vote 9 to 0 to waive the administrative fee for any failed applicant who requests an investigative hearing. The original AMCC rules had required that applicant to pay for the license before they would grant the hearing.

The successful applicants have until December 26 to pay their license fees. Commission staff will being onsite premises inspections for all the license award winners in the next few days. The Commission will meet next on December 29 at 1:00 pm.

Alabama Always, LLC — who has sued the AMCC over their failure to receive a license in the June or August awards, both of which were later rescinded — failed yet again to get a license award. Their request for a temporary injunction on Tuesday’s proceeding was rejected by the court. More court filings are anticipated on the part of failed applicants in the coming weeks.

“First, I thank all of the integrated facility applicants for their diligent efforts throughout this lengthy licensing process. Second, I cannot emphasize strongly enough how much I appreciate the commitment and hard work of each Commissioner as we have navigated through this phase of the program,” explained Commission Chairman Rex Vaughn.

“The result of these efforts has led to the award of licenses to entities who the Commission has determined are well-suited to serve patients through Alabama’s medical cannabis program.”

If no problems arise, the AMCC will issue the licenses on January 9.

To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email [email protected]