At their meeting on Tuesday, the Houston County Commission will consider whether to allow medical cannabis dispensaries to operate in the county.
Matt Parker, president of the Dothan Area Chamber of Commerce, told the commission at their administrative meeting yesterday that his organization had been getting calls from "interested parties" about the policies of Dothan and Houston County regarding medical cannabis.
"We've been getting contacted by interested parties that wanted to know the policy position of the county and the city concerning dispensaries which, again, are highly secured areas where only registered patients, caregivers, physicians and workers can provide medical cannabis," Parker said.
Parker said the "interested parties" are looking at "metro markets" like the Dothan area.
"We're probably going to be attractive because of the population densities we have here and obviously the medical-related industries we have here," Parker said.
Medical cannabis in Alabama will have a sales tax of nine percent and an excise tax of nine percent.
"This would be a taxable transaction for cannabis sales, so there's a revenue stream for the cities and counties that allow that to take place," Parker said.
The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission began accepting applications last week from companies seeking a medical marijuana grower, processor, transporter or dispensary license.
The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission must first approve dispensaries before they can get a license through municipalities. Any municipality or county must pass its own ordinance that permits dispensaries first.
Medical cannabis in Alabama could be offered in forms such as pills, patches, gels and oils, but by law will not be available in leafy form, edibles or through smoking.
The deadline for applications to be submitted to the state is December 30. The state will issue licenses on July 10, 2023.
According to the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission, two counties and six cities in Alabama have already passed similar resolutions to the one being considered by Houston County.
To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email caleb.taylor@1819News.com.
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