Birmingham votes to allow medical marijuana dispensaries
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBMA) — Medical cannabis will be sold in Alabama starting sometime next year.
A large number of requests for applications to operate a dispensary have come from the Birmingham area.
On Tuesday, Birmingham leaders took the first steps in allowing dispensaries to operate within the city, but not before some councilors raised concerns about adding businesses to neighborhoods, who don't want them.
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"I think it's important that the ten of us how we communicate this of what this actually is -- centered around healthcare. this will be extremely important on our end for our residents to be armed with factual information bot hearsay or their perception of what they think this is," said Mayor Randall Woodfin.
Seven of the eight council members present Tuesday voted in favor of adopting an ordinance to authorize the operation of medical cannabis dispensaries within city limits.
The window to request an application for a license with the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission closes on October 17.
The state will not issue any licenses until next summer.
Mayor Woodfin released the following statement following the vote:
I want to thank the council for working with me to take the first step of authorizing medical marijuana dispensaries in the City of Birmingham. This provides an opportunity to enhance healthcare and needed alternative treatments for the people of Birmingham and the state.
With today's action, the licensing process moves to the state's medical marijuana commission while the city will work over the coming months to address any matters related to the zoning and operation of licensed dispensaries in Birmingham.
