Alabama House Approves Medical Marijuana Bill
The Alabama House of Representatives has overcome years of resistance in approving medical marijuana legislation.
The vote to pass the bill came Thursday after two days of long and emotional debate in which key Republican lawmakers described switching sides in favor of the proposal.
The bill would allow people with a qualifying medical condition to purchase marijuana after getting a recommendation from a doctor.
After nearly two days of debate, and dozens of proposed amendments , the House gave final passage to the bill that would allow medical marijuana to be prescribed for about 10 medical conditions.
Those qualifying medical. conditions include cancer, HIV/AIDS, and epilepsy.
Strong opposition met the legislation in the two days of debate that proceeded the 68-34 vote.
Representative Mike Ball (R) – Madison, says softening hearts and changing the stigma behind medical marijuana was key in getting the legislation passed.
” I know how this place is and I knew there was so much preconceived notions and bias about this issue. So I knew that people, in order to understand what this is about they needed to see the people so I got in touch with this network of families and people who are suffering who need this,” said Ball.
The bill now returns to the Alabama Senate to settle differences or to be sent to a conference committee.
Legislators say that if approved by the Governor, it will be about 18 months before the first medical marijuana prescriptions are approved.
Gov. Kay Ivey’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the bill.
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