Southern University winnows list of medical cannabis vendors to three

Three Louisiana companies have been chosen as finalists to operate Southern University’s medical marijuana program.

Advanced Biomedics and Med Louisiana from Lafayette as well as Southern Roots Therapeutics from Baton Rouge are the three firms still in the running, the Baton Rouge Advocate reported.

Southern’s Agricultural Research and Extension Center estimates the cost for running the business will initially range from $5 million to $7 million. The company that gets the winning bid will pay that cost.

The state’s Medical Marijuana Review Committee will conduct closed interviews next week, according to the Advocate.

The finalist from those interviews still must receive approval from the Southern University Board of Supervisors before contract negotiations begin.

Southern and Louisiana State University are the only licensees to cultivate medical marijuana in the state.

In June, LSU selected GB Sciences, a Nevada-based marijuana company, to operate its medical marijuana program.