In a shocking development only four days after announcing its intent to issue 21 licenses to cultivators, processors, dispensaries, secured transporters, laboratory testing facilities, and integrated facilities, the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission voted to stay all proceedings related to the current offering of medical cannabis business licenses. And importantly, the stay appears to be indefinite (with no stated end date).

The stay was issued because of the commission’s discovery of potential inconsistencies in the tabulation of scoring data, and the commission’s need for additional time to seek an independent review of all scoring data.

The stay issued by the commission immediately impacts the following procedural requirements of applicants:

• Applicants who were awarded a license on June 12, 2023, are not required to pay the license fee by June 26, 2023.

• Applicants who were denied the award of a license on June 12, 2023, are not required to submit a Request for Investigative Hearing form by June 26, 2023.

• Licenses that were awarded on June 12, 2023, will not issue on July 10, 2023.

The commission announced that it would not provide score data or other materials related to the application process during such time that the stay is in effect.

The stay will remain in effect until it is lifted by the commission. The commission will, as appropriate, lift the stay, reconsider award of licenses, and provide specific timelines for the payment of license fees, submission of requests for investigative hearings, and award of licenses.