Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission cancels meeting amid lawsuits

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission canceled its September meeting because the director says they have nothing to discuss. The commission is in the midst of multiple lawsuits over the business licensing process, and the involved companies haven’t come to an agreement on next steps.

The commission faces three separate lawsuits over the business licensing process.

“Every state has gone through these lawsuits,” said Medical Cannabis Commission Director John McMillan.

The lawsuit that paused the medical cannabis process is from companies that were denied a license saying the commission conducted business in secret in violation of the Alabama Opens Meeting Act.

“Let’s have more transparency,” said Will Somerville, a lawyer representing Alabama Always.

Each side had up until this week to settle their disputes. According to the commission’s website, “Productive dialogue between counsel for the AMCC and litigants continued Friday, September 15.”

The commission later canceled this week’s meeting.

“We’re hopeful that we can make some headway and begin to get through some of these obstacles to get this product out for the patients that really, really need it,” said McMillan.

The new expectation is that an agreement is made before the commission’s Oct. 12 meeting. Somerville said he hopes it includes an outline of a new business license process. He said he hopes that it will be more in line with statutory requirements.

If this lawsuit is settled, the commission faces at least two more.

“Some of these lawsuits are almost comical. Some of them, I think, have some legitimate concerns,” said McMillan.

“Those allegations are symptomatic of the larger problem, which is everything was done behind closed doors,” said Somerville.

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