MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – A medical marijuana bill cleared its first hurdle Wednesday in the Alabama Legislature, giving hope to advocates after years of setbacks.
Audience members applauded as the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 8-1 for the bill, putting it in line for a Senate floor vote later this session.
The bill sponsored by Republican Sen. Tim Melson would allow people with a doctor’s recommendation to use medical marijuana for 15 conditions – including cancer, anxiety and chronic pain – and purchase cannabis products at one of 34 licensed dispensaries. The bill would allow marijuana in forms such as pills, gummy cubes, oils, skin patches, gels and creams but not in smoking or vaping products.
Advocates crowded into a public hearing at the Alabama Statehouse to watch the debate and tell lawmakers their stories.
“This bill is not about getting high. This bill is about getting well,” said Dr. Alan Shackelford, a Colorado doctor who described the success of using medical marijuana on people with seizures and cancer.