Louisiana has not been high on the list of states that are likely to legalize medical marijuana. After all, no state in the South has legalized medical marijuana. Florida came close during the 2014 Election, but it ultimately failed. The Florida vote was due to a citizens initiative. Finding a Legislature in the South that is willing to step up and pass a medical marijuana bill has been tough. But it sounds like Louisiana’s Legislature may step up to the plate. Per Marijuana Business Daily:
The Louisiana Senate has passed a bill that would allow a small number of dispensaries and one grow site to open in the state – a milestone considering lawmakers shot down similar legislation last year.
The bill now goes to the House for approval. If it passes, Gov. Bobby Jindal has indicated he’ll sign the legislation as long as the market is tightly regulated.
Under the bill, 10 dispensaries would be allowed to open in Louisiana, and they could sell MMJ to patients with glaucoma, spastic quadriplegia and those undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, according to NOLA.com.
A lot of the rules that would govern the program are still up in the air, and the bill still has to pass in Louisiana’s other legislative chamber. The Louisiana Board of Medical Examiners and the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy would make the rules for the dispensaries. The Louisiana Department of Agriculture would make the rules for the one grow site that would supply the dispensaries. The bill is far from perfect, but progress is progress, especially in a state as tough to achieve reform in as Louisiana.
