A Republican candidate for governor recently said that Alabama officials are pushing to establish a “drug cartel” to sell medical marijuana gummies in every Alabama community.
“This is nothing but a bait and switch to desensitize and get recreational use started. Their dream is recreational pot and that is where they are going.” said Tim James, who is polling a distant second behind incumbent Gov. Kay Ivey, who signed the state's medical cannabis bill into law in May 2021.
Stubbed Toe
A businessman and son of former Alabama Gov. Fob James, also criticized Alabama’s training system for doctors who will eventually recommend medical marijuana to patients. James argued that the course is too lenient, only takes four hours and that the only thing missing from the list of qualifying conditions is a “stubbed toe.”
John McMillan, director of the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission said James’s characterization of the law and how it’s being handled by his organization is a “mischaracterization.”
“They are medical doctors,” McMillan said. “They have years of training. Most of them already know about this [cannabis].”
Alabama State Senator Tim Melson, (R), an anesthesiologist who championed the legislation to legalize medical marijuana last year, also accused James of trying to embellish the law to create a political wedge issue ahead of the May 24 GOP primary for governor, according to Al.com.
“There has to be a qualified condition,” Melson said. “It’s a chronic pain, not acute.”
McMillan added that James is misrepresenting the facts of what the commission is aiming for before medical cannabis is launches in Alabama next year.
“What we’re trying to do is have the safest and most secure and highest quality cannabis for folks who need it,” said McMillan who suggested critics of the medical marijuana program should “read the bill.”
Last week, Alabama State Sen. Larry Stutts (R) introduced a bill that would require women “of childbearing age” to present proof that they’re not pregnant in order to purchase medical cannabis products.
