Alabama Marijuana Laws
Alabama allows medical cannabis for registered patients with 1 of 16 qualifying conditions, bought only at licensed dispensaries. This guide covers Alabama marijuana law as the Compassion Act and AMCC rules set it out: possession, purchase, home grow and who qualifies.
Is Marijuana Legal in Alabama?
Alabama still bans recreational marijuana, and until 2021 it had no medical marijuana program. However, in 2021, Governor Kay Ivey signed the first Alabama medical marijuana law, allowing the medical usage of marijuana in this state.
Is Medical Marijuana Legal?
Yes, thanks to the Alabama marijuana bill 2021, the medical use of marijuana has been legalized in Alabama. The 2021 bill states that cannabis can be used with a certification from a certifying physician registered with the AMCC for a specific list of 16 health conditions. Patients qualify only if their medical records show that conventional treatment has failed, unless medical cannabis is the standard of care for their condition.
Is Recreational Marijuana Legal?
No. The Compassion Act covers registered medical patients only, and recreational use remains illegal in Alabama. For registered patients 19 or older and registered caregivers, its arrest protection requires a valid medical cannabis card and no more than 70 daily dosages.
When Will Medical Cannabis Be Available in Alabama?
Medical cannabis has been available for purchase in Alabama since June 4, 2026, when the first licensed dispensary opened in Montgomery.
What’s the Hold-Up?
After the Alabama legalization in 2021, the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission wrote rules and awarded licenses, and the first dispensary opened in June 2026. The AMCC reports that one dispensary license is stayed and that integrated facility licenses are in administrative hearings; once issued, they could add up to 28 more dispensing sites.
Alabama Marijuana Laws Under the Compassion Act
Here are Alabama’s rules on possession, use, purchase and home cultivation under the Compassion Act and AMCC rules.
Possession & Purchase
Possession and purchase of marijuana in Alabama are only allowed with a medical marijuana card. Those without a card who buy or possess marijuana can be prosecuted under Alabama’s criminal drug laws in Title 13A.
How Much Can I Buy and Possess?
Registered patients 19 or older, and registered caregivers acting for a patient, who hold a valid medical cannabis card can possess up to 70 daily dosages of cannabis at a time. Each daily dosage is capped at a maximum of 50 mg of delta-9 THC. After 90 days of continuous care, the certifying physician may raise the cap to 75 mg if a higher dosage is medically appropriate. Only a terminal illness allows more. Under Alabama law, a patient recommended a daily dosage above 75 mg of delta-9 THC automatically has their driver’s license suspended, even with a valid medical cannabis card. Cannabis flower cannot be bought or possessed in Alabama. Instead, only authorized medical cannabis products like tablet or capsule products may be bought and used.
Where Can I Obtain Cannabis?
Alabama marijuana law only authorizes the sale of medical cannabis products from state-licensed dispensaries.
Who Can Legally Purchase Cannabis in Alabama?
Only holders of a medical marijuana card with qualifying health conditions can purchase cannabis in Alabama. Caregivers may also purchase cannabis products on behalf of their patients; a patient under 19 cannot buy or possess cannabis, so the registered caregiver buys it for them.
Home Cultivation
Home cultivation is illegal in Alabama.
Reciprocity
Alabama does not recognize medical marijuana reciprocity.
Consumption
Alabama marijuana law only allows for the consumption of approved medical cannabis products, such as tablets, capsules, gels, and tinctures. Only registered patients with a qualifying condition and a certification from a certifying physician registered with the AMCC can use these products. Raw flower, anything smoked or vaped, and food products such as cookies or candies are not allowed, and the Compassion Act does not protect anyone who buys, possesses or uses cannabis outside the program.
Where Can I Safely Consume Cannabis?
Alabama bars medical cannabis at K-12 schools, child care facilities, correctional facilities and on federal property, and in vehicles unless sealed in the original package. Hospitals, assisted living facilities and hospices that treat registered patients under the law are protected from state penalties.
Qualifying Patients
Medical marijuana is only available for people with specific medical conditions, including the following:
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Panic disorder
- Depression
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Crohn’s disease
- Tourette’s syndrome
- Parkinson’s disease
- Sickle cell anemia
- Epilepsy or a condition causing seizures
- Terminal illnesses
- HIV/AIDS-related nausea or weight loss
- Cancer-related cachexia, nausea or vomiting, weight loss, or chronic pain
- Spasticity from a motor neuron disease, like ALS
- Spasticity from multiple sclerosis (MS) or a spinal cord injury
- Persistent nausea not significantly responsive to traditional treatment
- Chronic or intractable pain where conventional therapy and opiates are contraindicated or ineffective
How to Obtain a Medical Card?
You need an Alabama medical marijuana card, issued by the AMCC, before you can legally buy medical cannabis products in this state. The process starts with an in-person visit to an AMCC-registered physician in Alabama, as telemedicine is not allowed, then a consent form, registry entry and the $40 AMCC card fee ($50 for a physical card).
Alabama marijuana law has changed since the 2021 Compassion Act, but laws are still strict here. Even though some medical cannabis products are allowed, recreational use is entirely prohibited and the use of cannabis flower is also illegal, along with cultivation at home. Those wishing to use medical marijuana will therefore need to follow the rules carefully to avoid any problems with the law.
Alabama Guides By City
