Recreational marijuana is now legal in 10 states, and medical marijuana is legal in 33 states.

State Rep. Mike Ball, a Republican from Huntsville who is a former ABI agent, last week introduced House Bill 243 that would legalize medical marijuana in Alabama.

The bill would create an exemption from the crime of marijuana possession for people with medical conditions who qualify for a valid medical cannabis card for the medical use of cannabis, or marijuana.

“This is about helping sick people,” said Ball, who sponsored bills that became Leni’s Law and Carly’s Law for CBD oil use. He said both those laws need to be extended.

Carly’s Law, passed in 2014, authorized a UAB study on using cannabidiol, or CBD oil, to treat seizure disorders. That law expires July 1, 2019. The bill would extend Carly’s Law until Jan. 1, 2021.

In 2016, Alabama passed Leni’s Law, allowing patients who suffer seizure disorders or other debilitating medical conditions to use a product that comes from the marijuana plant.

HB 243 would also revise Leni’s Law, and authorizes those over age 19 diagnosed with a qualifying condition to obtain a medical cannabis card, authorizing the use of cannabis for medical purposes.

The bill would establish the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission and require the commission to establish and administer a patient registry system that registers patients with qualifying medical conditions. The commission would issue medical cannabis cards and licenses for the cultivation, processing, transportation, manufacturing and sale of cannabis in the state.

We’d like to hear your opinions on the possible legalization of medical marijuana in Alabama, and legalization of marijuana for recreational use. Please take part in our poll below.

Please also take our survey on other issues related to the marijuana issue, and we will share the results later, comparing it to a survey we took two years ago. The 10 states that have legalized marijuana for recreational use are Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Vermont and Washington, plus the District of Columbia.