The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) is hosting a public hearing on the possibility of the state rescheduling medical marijuana, after objecting to the federal reclassification recently enacted by President Donald Trump's administration.
Last year, Trump signed an executive order reclassifying marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III substance under federal law. In April, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche issued an order placing both FDA-approved products containing marijuana and marijuana products regulated by a state medical marijuana license from Schedule I to Schedule III.
Since the reclassification under federal law does not immediately change Alabama law, the State Committee of Public Health met to consider mirroring the federal reclassification under state law.
"The State Committee of Public Health (the Committee) met on May 21, 2026, to consider whether to allow the rescheduling of medical marijuana as outlined in the DEA announcement to move forward or to object to the same," ADPH stated. "At that time, the Committee OBJECTED to the rescheduling referred to herein."
Due to the objection, ADPH announced a public hearing on the matter for July 22 to hear from the public while it continues to receive input from the state's governmental agencies. Following the public hearing, the committee says it will reconsider whether to reconsider its objection or adopt the rescheduling.
The Committee gave the following reasons for objecting:
- Alabama has recently put into place a robust framework to deal with medical marijuana that is outside the jurisdiction of the ADPH and Alabama's Controlled Substances Act.
- In light of Alabama's substantial efforts to establish its own framework for dispensing medical marijuana, additional time is needed to evaluate whether the federal rescheduling will alter that framework as outlined by the Legislature.
- A public hearing on this matter will provide ADPH with an opportunity to hear from Alabama citizens and stakeholders regarding this decision.
- The Committee wishes to make a reasoned, considered decision on this issue with input from all appropriate persons.
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