Lee County Cannabis – Is It Legal & Where To Buy 2025

Is Cannabis Cultivation Legal in Lee County?

Yes. Lee County permits the cultivation of medical marijuana, while adult-use marijuana remains illegal. However, no medical marijuana business establishments operate in Lee County as of May 2023. This is because the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) is still evaluating the 90 applications they received from September 2022 to December 2022 and is set to grant the approved licenses by June 12, 2023. Around 12 cultivators are set to be licensed, and a license fee of $40,000 will be collected annually.

In accordance with the State of Alabama’s Medical Cannabis Act 2021-450, medical marijuana may only be cultivated by licensed cultivators and is regulated by the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI). In addition, licensed integrated facilities are authorized to cultivate apart from processing, dispensing, and transporting medical marijuana. One of the 90 marijuana business establishments license applicants in the state is an integrated facility located in the town of Salem. An operational plan containing a security plan, growth plan, and protocols is required for license approval.

Once operational, cultivators are bound to follow Chapter 80-14-1 implemented by the ADAI. Outdoor cultivation is strictly prohibited. Instead, medical marijuana may only be grown within the premises of a licensed cultivator or a licensed integrated facility. The cultivation facility should be an enclosed, permanent structure that utilizes artificial light solely or in addition to natural sunlight. Plants must be grown in individual containers for portability and to prevent cross-contamination. Moreover, unauthorized access and limited public visibility must be ensured by incorporating perimeter barriers, security locks, alarms, and video surveillance systems. Lastly, cultivators and integrated facilities must maintain a minimum of $2,000,000 in liability and casualty insurance.

Licensed cultivators and integrated facilities may only sell or transport medical marijuana to other licensed business establishments. All transactions must be reported to the statewide seed-to-sale tracking system.

Is Cannabis Manufacturing Legal in Lee County?

The processing and manufacturing of medical marijuana by licensed processors will be lawful in Lee County come June 12, 2023. However, only four out of the 11 applicants in the state will be granted a processor license by the AMCC. Based on the provided list of applicants, no marijuana business establishment applied for a processor license in Lee County.

Processors are given the authority to purchase medical marijuana plants from licensed cultivators. These derivatives will be extracted to produce medical marijuana products for sale and transfer to a licensed dispensary. All products must be of the highest quality, according to documented good manufacturing practices, and meet good quality standards. It must meet the intended purity and safety levels and only contain pharmaceutical-grade excipients.

Medical marijuana products must also be packaged and labeled following Chapter 6 of the AMCC Rules and Regulations. Processors must ensure that the packaging is child-resistant, tamper-evident, not attractive to minors, and does not contain false statements. Labels must be legible and include the details of the cultivator and processor, cannabinoid content, amount and type of product in the package, lot and batch numbers, and warning labels.

Is Cannabis Retail Legal in Lee County?

Yes, licensed dispensaries and integrated facilities can sell medical marijuana to registered qualified patients or registered caregivers in Lee County. However, dispensaries are yet to operate since the state is in the process of granting licenses until June 2023. Only one of the 18 dispensary license applicants in the state is located in the county, specifically in Auburn. Each awarded licensee may have up to three dispensary locations.

Following Chapter 8 of the AMCC Rules and Regulations, dispensaries may only sell medical marijuana that is tested, adequately packaged and labeled, and contains the universal state symbol. Medical marijuana may only be dispensed under the supervision of a certified dispenser. A valid medical cannabis card must be presented prior to dispensing, and the purchase limit is set to a 60-day daily dosage.

Under state laws, only tablets, capsules, tinctures, gels, oils, creams, suppositories, transdermal patches, nebulizers, and inhalants may be available. Raw plant materials, products to be smoked or vaped, and edibles are strictly prohibited.

Is Cannabis Delivery Legal in Lee County?

Medical marijuana delivery in Lee County is illegal per state laws and regulations. Instead, medical marijuana patients may acquire marijuana products from licensed dispensaries and integrated facilities. This will be possible once marijuana establishments are granted the authority to operate, and Alabama's Medical Cannabis Program is fully implemented.

How to Get Medical Marijuana Card in Lee County

As of May 2023, applications for a medical cannabis card are not accepted by Alabama's Medical Cannabis Program. Registration will only be accepted once licenses are granted to medical marijuana business establishments.

Lee County residents may apply for a medical cannabis card if they are diagnosed with one of the qualifying conditions: autism, cancer, Crohn’s disease, depression, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, panic disorder, Parkinson’s disease, persistent nausea, PTSD, sickle cell anemia, spasticity, terminal illness, Tourette’s Syndrome, and other conditions causing chronic intractable pain.

Patients must be certified by a registered physician, and those below must have a caregiver aged 21 and above. Registered caregivers may purchase medical marijuana for the patient but may not use it, except if they are registered patients.

How Has Cannabis Legalization Impacted the Economy of Lee County?

No data regarding the impact of medical marijuana legalization on the economy of Lee County exist as of May 2023 since retail sales may only begin by June 2023.

According to a 2013 report by the Alabama Department of Public Health, Lee County has at least 613 residents diagnosed with cancer, 13 residents with Parkinson’s disease, and 53 new cases of HIV. The number of residents diagnosed with one of the qualifying conditions may help increase the demand for medical marijuana in the county.

The Effects of Cannabis Legalization on Crime Rates in Lee County

Medical marijuana became legal in Lee County when Alabama’s Medical Cannabis Act 2021-450 took effect in 2021. As such, data on the impact of marijuana legalization in the county is insufficient.

According to the available data on the FBI Crime Data Explorer, as the ​​Lee County Sheriff's Office reported, arrests for marijuana possession offenses in the county were 26 in 2016, 27 in 2018, and 18 in 2019. On the other hand, arrests for marijuana sales offenses were one in 2016, three in 2018, and two in 2019.