MONTGOMERY, Ala. — A judge on Tuesday appointed a mediator in the long-running dispute over who gets licenses to grow and sell medical marijuana in Alabama.
Montgomery Circuit Judge James Anderson named retired Circuit Judge Eugene Reese to act as mediator in the case. Anderson wrote that he believed the use of mediation “is appropriate in this case and could result in the speedy and just resolution of the dispute.”
Alabama lawmakers in 2021 approved a medical cannabis program that would allow people to access marijuana for certain medical conditions. But three years later, medical marijuana remains unavailable in Alabama amid a sprawling legal fight over the process used to award licenses to grow and sell the products.
Companies who were denied licenses have accused the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission of violating state law and administrative rules in selecting winners. They maintain they should be able to challenge the qualifications of winning companies. Companies that have won licenses have urged Anderson to let the program proceed.
The commission began accepting applications for licenses in 2022 and has attempted to award the licenses three times. The commission rescinded the awards twice over concerns about the selection process. Anderson in July issued a temporary restraining order blocking the issuance of some of the licenses, saying there was a “serious question” whether the third round of awards was also invalid.
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