First medical cannabis crop in Alabama ready for harvest
It's been three years since the Alabama legislature approved a state medical marijuana program.
But getting that industry off the ground is tied up in lawsuits right now. That has not stopped one local cultivator.
Antoine Mordican owns Native Black Cultivation. He may be the first licensed medical cannabis cultivator to harvest a crop. His plants could be ready to go this weekend. He's been in the hemp business for several years, so changing over to medical-grade cannabis was simple.
鈥淪o with me having that experience in the background and help in knowing how to cultivate a quality product, it was a smooth and easy transition. So, the hemp that I was able to produce was already in line and looked like medical cannabis. So, I really just had to swap out the genetics and were able to produce," Mordican said.
Mordican said he's not the only cultivator growing plants right now, and other pieces of the industry are also up and ready to run.
鈥淲e have other licensees already operating as well, such as the secure transporters. They have a facility and a fleet and everything ready. Our processors are also ready to go," he said.
But right now, there are no consumers. Patients who could benefit from cannabis would have to get a recommendation from their doctor. And that's not happening yet.
鈥淭hey currently cannot make the recommendations until all the licenses have been issued. So, the only one we're missing is a dispensary license. Once those are issued, the doctors can start beginning to make their recommendations and the people can start going through the process and visit dispensaries to get their medicine, Mordican said.
The integrated licenses are the ones held up in court. Mordican is hopeful the judge will modify his restraining order to allow some dispensaries to open now, which would allow patients access to this plant.