Northport Considering Medical Cannabis Dispensary Ordinance

NORTHPORT, AL — The City of Northport could soon be the latest municipality in Alabama to approve operations for medical cannabis dispensaries following a first reading of a proposed ordinance change Monday night.

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The next public action on the measure will be on Nov. 8 when the city's Planning & Zoning Commission takes up the zoning ordinance. Once the measure becomes law for the city, the city will have the proper ordinances on the books to begin awarding business licenses once the state starts offering its business licenses to companies.

The ordinance cites a law passed by the Alabama Legislature in 2021 that created a regulatory framework for medical cannabis dispensaries, saying that medical research indicates that medical cannabis can "successfully treat various medical conditions and alleviate the symptoms of various medical conditions."

If approved by the City of Northport, dispensaries would be required to purchase a business license and pay sales tax to the city — immediately creating a new revenue stream for city coffers.

Council President Jeff Hogg told Patch that it was important for the public to understand that medical cannabis dispensaries are pharmaceutical in nature and will not provide raw plant product that can be smoked.

"It is highly regulated like a pharmacy and will be treated as such," he said. "The purpose is to provide quality health benefits to our citizens who may benefit from a pill or topical treatment."

Northport's decision to consider getting into the medical cannabis sector comes on the heels of the City of Tuscaloosa approving a similar measure by a 5-2 vote in August.

As Patch previously reported, the fledgling Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission decided that the state would issue business licenses to a maximum of four dispensary firms, who can then operate locations in up to three counties.

"Giving the citizens the right to choose their medical care and what they feel comfortable with is the goal of the Council," Hogg said. "There are numerous studies that show the advancement and sometimes life-altering positive effects of this. Providing health and wellness measures is our top goal.The locations and number of applicants allowed in the whole state of Alabama is very small."

Indeed, widely-accepted data from one study says Alabama is projected to retail approximately $48 million in the first full year of medical marijuana sales, before that number nearly triples to $163 million in the second year.

What's more, a 2021 study by the Pew Research Center found that 91% of American adults believe marijuana should be legalized either for medical use or recreational use, which underscores a generational shift in how the substance has been viewed by everyday Americans in the past.

"The approval by Council basically lets a dispensary owner know that we are willing to discuss their business plans in Northport," Hogg said. "By the approval of the vote, it doesn’t necessarily mean we will get one or have one in Northport."

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