Alabama Marijuana and CBD Laws & Penalties
Get the real scoop on Alabama medical marijuana laws, recreational marijuana laws and CBD use laws.
Many people wonder about the status of marijuana laws in the state they live in. This page contains information on recreational marijuana law, medical marijuana law and the penalties for breaking them in Alabama. We also talk about the legality of CBD within Alabama and if you should be concerned as a resident of Alabama. Here are other ways you may have found this page on Alabama marijuana and CBD laws:
Alabama Marijuana Laws
Marijuana is a common yet controversial drug. Marijuana law is going through a great deal of change throughout the country, with more and more states legalizing recreational and medical marijuana use yearly. Today, almost all of the forms of marijuana possession, sale, or trafficking in Alabama are illegal aside from medical use for registered patients.
Medical marijuana usage in Alabama was legalized in May 2021. The only legal form of recreational marijuana in Alabama is CBD or Cannabidiol, a compound in cannabis that has medical and therapeutic effects without the THC to get you high.
Alabama Medical Marijuana Laws
In 2014 Governor Robert Bentley signed Carly’s Law, which permits the University of Alabama at Birmingham to provide non-psychoactive CBD oil to children with debilitating seizures as a clinical study. THC limits could not exceed 3%.
In 2016 Governor Bentley signed Leni’s Law, expanding the affirmative defense to include any individual with a debilitating disease or condition involving seizures. Again, THC content was not allowed to exceed 3%.
2021 Governor Kay Ivey signed Senate Bill 46, the Darren Wesley ‘Ato’ Hall Compassion Act.
Alabama Laws For Recreational Marijuana
Non-medical, recreational, and adult use of cannabis is currently illegal in Alabama. Penalties for possession can still be harsh. First-time possession of personal amounts is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in prison, a fine of up to $6000, and a mandatory six months driver’s license suspension.
There were attempts to legalize adult-use cannabis for those aged 21 or over in 2019, but this proved unsuccessful. In late 2018, the federal government passed a new law that removed hemp-derived products from the controlled substances schedules, making these products legal.
One hemp-derived product that soon became the focus of many Alabama state laws is Cannabidiol, commonly known as CBD. CBD is only permitted to possess if you have a debilitating seizure disorder and have your doctor’s recommendation.
As in most states, the CBD must have less than 0.3 percent THC, which is the psychoactive property of marijuana. Pharmacies can sell CBD oil, though retail stores cannot sell CBD to the general public.
Penalties for Marijuana in Alabama
In Alabama, marijuana for the “personal use only” is Class A Misdemeanor, punishable by maximum sentence of one year and maximum fine of $6,000. The subsequent conviction of marijuana for “personal use only” is a Class D felony punishable by a minimum of one year and one day and a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison along with a maximum fine of $7500.
Marijuana possessed for reasons other than “personal use” is a Class C felony, punishable by a prison sentence of a minimum of one year and one day in prison and a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, along with a maximum fine of $15,000.
Alabama Marijuana Laws in relation to the US Federal Government
As stated before, the US federal government still considers marijuana use illegal for United States citizens, immigrants and tourists. While the federal government still calls marijuana an illegal drug, they have left most enforcement of marijuana law to the US States, partly because the federal government has more important things to deal with on a daily basis. This gives Alabama the power to mostly set and enforce its own marijuana laws regarding recreational and medical marijuana usage, possession and distribution.
Alabama Law and other US States
Alabama's marijuana and CBD laws and penalties are unique to Alabama. Other U.S. States have different legal rules for medical and recreational marijuana usage within the state, as well as CBD. The states that prohibit certain aspects of marijuana also have varying penalties for violation of their laws.
The best thing to do is to be informed and visit our United States marijuana law pages and our individual US state profile pages regarding marijuana and CBD.
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