‘I truly feel sorry’: Medical cannabis licenses under review as patients await relief
June 19, 2025
‘I truly feel sorry’: Medical cannabis licenses under review as patients await relief
TO YOU ON AIR AND ONLINE. ALSO TONIGHT, AN UPDATE ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA LICENSES IN THE STATE. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AT TEN. I’M SHERI FALK. I’M GUY RAWLINGS. AFTER A YEARS LONG LEGAL BATTLE, OFFICIALS WITH THE ALABAMA MEDICAL CANNABIS COMMISSION SAY AWARDING LICENSES IS ONE STEP CLOSER TO HAPPENING. WVTM13’S ERYN LEWELLYN LIVE IN LOCAL TONIGHT. AARON. YOU’RE TOLD THAT APPLICANTS HAVE TO SEE A JUDGE TO MOVE THE PROCESS FORWARD. YEAH, GUYS, THE APPLICANTS ARE GOING THROUGH WHAT IS CALLED AN INVESTIGATIVE HEARING. NOW, ORIGINALLY, THE ALABAMA MEDICAL CANNABIS COMMISSION GAVE OUT THOSE LICENSES, BUT THOSE APPLICATIONS WERE REJECTED, ARE NOW FIGHTING IT. NOW A JUDGE HAS THE FINAL SAY. SO THE SAGA OF AWARDING MEDICAL CANNABIS LICENSES IS ONE STEP CLOSER TO COMING TO AN END. WE’VE BEEN WAITING ON THIS LITIGATION AND INJUNCTIONS KEPT APPLICANTS LIKE JOEY ROBERTSON FROM USING THE LICENSE HE WAS ORIGINALLY AWARDED TO HELP THOSE WHO MAY BE SUFFERING. I TRULY FEEL SORRY THERE ARE SO MANY TREATABLE CONDITIONS WITH THESE PRODUCTS, AND THESE PEOPLE HAVE DONE WITHOUT. SO THE PATIENTS OR THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SUFFERED ARE THE PATIENTS, NOT US AS MUCH. NOW THERE’S JUST ONE MORE HURDLE TO JUMP. AN INVESTIGATIVE HEARING WILL BE IN FRONT OF AN ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE, AND WE’LL HAVE TO DEFEND OUR LICENSE. AND WHY WE’RE QUALIFIED. AND THEN. AND THEN, OF COURSE, SAY WHY OTHERS MAY NOT BE. JOHN MCMILLAN IS THE ALABAMA CANNABIS MEDICAL COMMISSION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. EVEN THOUGH THE PROCESS WAS DELAYED, THESE INVESTIGATIVE HEARINGS WERE ALWAYS REQUIRED BY LEGISLATION PASSED TO BRING MEDICAL MARIJUANA TO THE STATE. WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN GOING TWO MONTHS AGO, EXCEPT FOR THIS LITIGATION. SO CERTAINLY WE’VE BEEN DISAPPOINTED IN THAT. AND HOPEFULLY THIS IS GOING TO BE A BRIDGE THROUGH THAT GAP. ROBERTSON AND OTHER APPLICANTS WERE ORIGINALLY AWARDED LICENSES IN DECEMBER 2023. THOSE WHOSE APPLICATIONS WERE REJECTED THEN CAN NOW REQUEST A HEARING TO GIVING THEM ONE LAST CHANCE. THE DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT HAVE BEEN CHOSEN BY THE COMMISSION HAVE SHOWN TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT THEY’RE EXTREMELY QUALIFIED TO BRING MEDICINE TO PATIENTS. SO I DO EXPECT FOR EACH OF US TO COME OUT TRIUMPHANT. NOW, ROBERTSON SAYS IT SHOULD BE AROUND THIS TIME NEXT MONTH WHEN HE IS DEFENDING HIS LICENSE IN FRONT OF A JUDGE, AND MCMILLAN SAYS THAT IT COULD BE ANOTHER FEW MONTHS BEFORE APPLICANTS FIND OUT IF THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR LICENSES. LIVE I
Updated: 11:54 PM CDT Jun 18, 2025
‘I truly feel sorry’: Medical cannabis licenses under review as patients await relief
Updated: 11:54 PM CDT Jun 18, 2025
After a years-long legal battle, officials with the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission said awarding licenses is one step closer to happening.The state medical cannabis commission originally awarded the licenses to applicants in December 2023, but those whose applications were rejected fought it, saying the licenses weren’t given out fairly. Now, a judge will make the final call on who will get a license, as applicants are now going through what’s called investigative hearings.During these hearings, applicants will have to defend their licenses and tell the judge why they deserve one and why others don’t. Even though the process was delayed, these investigative hearings were always required by legislation to bring medical marijuana to the state.“Now, it’s a wait and see with an independent party handling the process, and we’re looking forward to the end result and getting those licenses issued and getting this program up and going,” McMillan said.Joey Robertson was originally awarded a license and feels bad for the patients who are waiting for medical help.“I truly feel sorry,” Robertson said. “There are so many treatable conditions with these products, and these people have done without. The people that have suffered are the patients, not us as much.”Robertson said it should be this time next month when he defends his license before a judge. McMillan said it could be another few months before the applicants find out if they can move forward with their licenses.
After a years-long legal battle, officials with the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission said awarding licenses is one step closer to happening.
The state medical cannabis commission originally awarded the licenses to applicants in December 2023, but those whose applications were rejected fought it, saying the licenses weren’t given out fairly. Now, a judge will make the final call on who will get a license, as applicants are now going through what’s called investigative hearings.
During these hearings, applicants will have to defend their licenses and tell the judge why they deserve one and why others don’t. Even though the process was delayed, these investigative hearings were always required by legislation to bring medical marijuana to the state.
“Now, it’s a wait and see with an independent party handling the process, and we’re looking forward to the end result and getting those licenses issued and getting this program up and going,” McMillan said.
Joey Robertson was originally awarded a license and feels bad for the patients who are waiting for medical help.
“I truly feel sorry,” Robertson said. “There are so many treatable conditions with these products, and these people have done without. The people that have suffered are the patients, not us as much.”
Robertson said it should be this time next month when he defends his license before a judge. McMillan said it could be another few months before the applicants find out if they can move forward with their licenses.
Search
RECENT PRESS RELEASES
