Alabama gov signs bill establishing medical marijuana study group

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Alabama won’t become the latest state to legalize medical cannabis this year, but it took a potential step forward for 2020.

Gov. Kay Ivey signed into law a bill that would set up a medical marijuana commission to study the issue and then make recommendations to the Alabama Legislature next year on how to implement a medical cannabis program, Montgomery TV station WSFA reported.

The bill was a result of a compromise between state lawmakers in the waning hours of the 2019 legislative session, after an attempt at MMJ legalization passed the state Senate but then hit a wall in a House committee.

The new commission will have 15 members, including doctors and other appointees from the governor, state lawmakers and the Alabama attorney general.

Draft legislation and MMJ policy recommendations are due to the Legislature by Dec. 1.

The bill also extends a statute that allows some patients to access CBD oil through a study at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.