Bill To Place Edible Cannabinoids Under ABC Board Passes Alabama House
HB445 would limit sales to only 21 and older locations
A bill which would substantially affect how edible cannabinoids are sold in Alabama passed the Alabama House Thursday by a vote of 76-15. It now goes to the Alabama Senate.
HB445 was introduced by State Representative Andy Whitt (R-Harvest), and would authorize the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board to regulate all consumable hemp products through the licensure of manufacturers, wholesale distributors, and retailers of consumable hemp products. It would prohibit the sale of any consumable hemp products to individuals under 21 years of age, and restrict retail establishments that sell consumable hemp products, other than pharmacies selling topicals. to existing liquor stores or other locations that minors may not access. The bill would also repeal the law allowing psychoactive cannabis sales to minors.
“This legislation is an effort to put guardrails on a current unregulated, unchecked and dangerous industry, and that is the sale of psychoactive cannabinoids known as delta-8, delta-9 and THC infused drinks,” Rep. Whitt said when introducing the bill. “We put this under ABC and it’s in 21-and-over stores.”
A substitute bill was introduced and adopted by a vote of 84-1. Rep. Whitt then made further comments about the substitute:
“We are putting these products under the ABC,“ Whitt said. “They will be licensed by ABC, they will be sold at 21-and-above stores only. This takes it out of our convenience stores, takes it out of our retailer stores. There is no vape product that will be allowed in this bill, there will be no inhalables. We’ve all seen the buds in those glass jars—these would be outlawed in this bill as well.”
There was no debate on the floor prior to the final vote of 76 AYES, 15 NAYS and 11 ABSTENTIONS.
Having passed the House, HB445 now goes to the Alabama Senate. There are two similar Senate bills which have already passed out of committee and been placed on the Senate’s calendar: SB255, sponsored by Senator Smitherman and SB237, sponsored by Senator Melson.
