On September 1, the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission will allow interested Alabama residents to download forms to apply to be a licensed medical marijuana producer, transporter, processor, dispensary operator, or vertical integrator.
al today talked with antoine mordicanwho hopes to be one of the medical cannabis growers on Monday.
“The commission posted their rates on their website today,” Mordican said. “The fee ($40,000 to be a grower/grower) is more or less what I expected.”
Cultivator licenses it’s $40,000 a year, integrator $50,000, processor $40,000, secure carrier $30,000, and state testing lab $30,000. The fee must be paid annually, and the number of licenses is strictly controlled by the state. A non-refundable application fee of $2,500 must also be paid to the Commission just for applying for a license.
Mordican, an engineer, said his facility would be entirely indoors and use hydroponics.
“We will use LED lighting everywhere (to grow the plants), and there will be sensors in every room so the plants get the water they need.”
“There will be no sewage,” Mordican continued. “There will be a water recirculation system so that everything is used by the plants.”
Mordican said he is still in the “capital raising” phase of this company, but explained that he has been growing hemp for three seasons, so he currently uses all of his processes to grow cannabis in the real world. However, the marijuana grow facility would be brand new and custom built from scratch.
Mordican said “building relationships” is preferable to him rather than simply finding financiers who want to make a quick buck in the medical cannabis industry.
Medical marijuana is harvested from the buds, so the rest of the plants become waste products. Mordican said he hopes to recycle excess plant material into hemp or other industrial applications.
There is “no composting” in Mordican’s system because hydroponics doesn’t require a soil medium, Mordican explained.
Mordican facilities will be in jefferson county. County commissions and city governments will have a say in whether or not marijuana cultivation will be allowed in their jurisdictions.
Chey Garrigan He is the CEO and founder of the Alabama Cannabis Industry Association.
“We are working with growers to understand the licensing process,” Garrigan said. “Potential growers need to understand that there will be some upfront costs associated with applying for a license.”
The Commission has estimated that it will be late 2023 at the earliest before Alabamans can buy Alabama-grown medical cannabis, as the licensing process will take 11 months, and then licensees still have to build their facilities. .
“What’s important to us is that Alabamans with a legitimate medical need can legally get the help they need,” Garrigan said.
The Alabama State Legislature approved medical cannabis legislation in the spring of 2021 and charged the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission with regulating the new industry.
According to the commission’s latest schedule, applicants have until Oct. 17 to request application forms.
According to recent polls, marijuana has overtaken cigarette and tobacco use, reaching a new all-time high. 16% of Americans report using marijuana in the past week versus only 11% of cigarettes. Cigarette use dropped from 16% last year to 11% in the most recent survey, while marijuana use increased from 12% to 16% in the same period.
Marijuana, whether used for medical or recreational purposes, remains illegal at the federal level.
To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, send an email [email protected].
Related
