Medical Marijuana Bill Will Be Introduced In Alabama

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Alabama Republican Party
Rep. K.L. Brown’s sister used cannabis medicinally to control her pain and nausea before she died of breast cancer 25 years ago

​An Alabama legislator is going forward with his bill that would legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes, and he expects to pre-file the legislation within a week.

Rep. K.L. Brown (R-Jacksonville) said on Wednesday that he had submitted the bill Monday to the state’s Legislative Reference Service, reports Patrick McCreless at The Anniston Star. Lawmakers submit their legislation to that department before filing it in the Legislature.
Brown said it should be about a week before he gets the revised bill back from the Legislative Reference Service.
“Hopefully I’ll have it in a week and get it filed,” he said.
Brown’s sister used cannabis medicinally to control her pain and nausea before she died of breast cancer 25 years ago, and the lawmaker said he sees the measure as a way to help many Alabamians who are in similar situations.
Rep. Brown emphasized that his bill is in no way part of an effort to legalize marijuana completely in Alabama.

“This is not a recreational marijuana legalizing bill at all,” Brown said. “It’s strictly for medicinal purposes and will be closely monitored by the Health Department and law enforcement.”

AMMJC
Ron Crumpton, AMMJC: “This will be the biggest opportunity this legislation has ever had”

​Brown’s legislation was compiled earlier this year by the Alabama Medical Marijuana Coalition (AMMJC), which formed in June with the goal of legalizing medical marijuana in the state.
The proposed legislation lists the medical conditions that can be legally treated with marijuana and provides for the establishment of licensed medical marijuana distribution centers. People with medicinal cannabis authorizations would carry ID cards issued by the Alabama Department of Health.
There’s lots of support for the bill in the Legislature, according to Ron Crumpton, co-president and executive director of AMMJC.
“I’ve talked to a lot of legislators who, quite honestly, in the past have not been for us but who are backing us now,” said Crumpton. “I think it has a lot to do with the fact that K.L. Brown is sponsoring it. He’s well-liked.”
“This will be the biggest opportunity this legislation has ever had,” Crumpton said of the upcoming legislative session in January. “This will be the first time of it actually having a chance to pass.”
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