Alabama Governor Signs CARE Act, Enabling More Medical Marijuana Research and Cannabis Studies

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed the CARE Act, which will allow for more research into medical marijuana. However, it will not legalize medical marijuana for patients.

Under the CARE Act, there will be a 15-member Medical Cannabis Commission for the study of cannabis medical use. The research may pave the way for eventual legalization. The commission will also be diverse, as it may feature physicians from psychiatry, neurology, pain management, and oncology. In addition, the governor and other lawmakers may appoint a mental health specialist, a pharmacist, and two others from the agricultural field who show interest in the endeavor.

The Act also extends Carly’s Law to January 1, 2021, where it was originally only until July 1, 2019. Another change to Carly’s law is that it will no longer just cover seizures, but also debilitating medical conditions. Debilitating medical conditions include addiction, cancer, anxiety, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, HIV/AIDS, chronic pain, and more.