# Alabama's first medical cannabis store opens after years of delays  
**Published:** 2026-06-08T09:00:35.000Z  
**Source:** [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/08/repub/first-medical-cannabis-store-opens-in-alabama-after-years-of-delays/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/alabama-s-first-medical-cannabis-store-opens-after-years-of-delays

Alabama's first medical cannabis dispensary opened its doors Wednesday, marking a historic moment for patients after years of regulatory and legal obstacles. Amanda Taylor, a patient advocate with multiple sclerosis, made the state's first purchase at Callie's Apothecary in Montgomery, according to reporting from the [Alabama Reflector](https://alabamareflector.com/2026/06/04/first-medical-cannabis-store-opens-in-state-after-years-of-delays/).

Taylor purchased a water-soluble tincture and peach-flavored gel cubes, products she hopes will alleviate her nausea, vomiting and tremor symptoms. "I will be able to remove some very dangerous pharmaceuticals, and I'll be able to replace them with something that God put on this earth for this specific reason," she said.

The Alabama medical cannabis law, enacted in 2021, allows registered physicians to recommend cannabis for approximately 15 medical conditions, including cancer, depression, Parkinson's disease, PTSD, sickle-cell anemia and chronic pain. Approved product forms are restricted to tablets, tinctures, patches, oils and gel cubes, with raw plant material and smokable forms prohibited.

Taylor traveled over two hours from Cullman to reach the Montgomery dispensary. When the program is fully operational, there will be 12 dispensaries across the state operated by four companies. Three companies—CCS of Alabama, GP6 Wellness and RJK Holdings—have licenses and are expected to open storefronts this summer. A fourth license awarded to Yellowhammer Medical Dispensaries remains pending litigation.

Patients must obtain approval from their physician and register with the state to purchase products. According to the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission Director John McMillan, there are currently over 300 patients on the registry, with 52 physicians certified to recommend medical cannabis as of Wednesday.

Litigation delayed the program's launch. Some firms sued the commission over alleged discrimination in the licensing process, while another case involved five parents suing over access delays. That parents' lawsuit was dismissed in August.

Taylor said she hopes the program's success will help reduce stigma around medical cannabis. "There's no shame in that. This is medicine," she said, noting she has advocated for the natural medicine in Alabama for approximately 11 years.

## Sources

- [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/08/repub/first-medical-cannabis-store-opens-in-alabama-after-years-of-delays/)
- [Alabama Reflector — First medical cannabis store opens in state](https://alabamareflector.com/2026/06/04/first-medical-cannabis-store-opens-in-state-after-years-of-delays/)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Nebraska Examiner, enriched with 2 web searches. The original source is available at https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/08/repub/first-medical-cannabis-store-opens-in-alabama-after-years-of-delays/.