Becoming a Patient in Alabama

To become a patient eligible for CBD under Leni's Law, you must receive a diagnosis for a serious condition that is resistant to conventional medicine from a physician with whom you have a bona-fide physician-patient relationship and the CBD must be likely to provide the patient with therapeutic or palliative relief.

Carly's Law previously required participation in a University of Alabama clinical trial to become a legal patient, but this is no longer the case. There is no formal application process to become a patient. The only way to gain legal access to medical cannabis through Leni's Law is by being provided CBD by a physician.

Eligible conditions:

The affirmative defense is available if CBD would likely provide the patient with therapeutic or palliative relief to a number of conditions including: cachexia or wasting syndrome; severe or chronic pain; severe nausea; seizures; severe and persistent muscle spasms. There is additionally a catchall to include any other condition that is severe and resistant to conventional medicine as an eligible condition.

Becoming a Patient as a Minor:

Minors are eligible for the affirmative defense and parents of minors who would be eligible are also covered by the affirmative defense regarding possession of CBD for the use of those minors.

Additionally, state and local governments cannot initiate removal proceedings to remove a child from the home of a parent based solely on the parent or child's possession of CBD that is eligible for the affirmative defense.

Carly's Law previously provided a protection for caretakers of patients, but this was deleted under the Leni's Law amendments.