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Medical marijuana has been legal in Louisiana since 2019, but the laws have been tweaked and expanded since then, including this summer following the Legislative Session, while hemp laws were also adjusted.
Louisiana’s medical marijuana law has allowed doctors to recommend — the equivalent of prescribing — the medicine for patients with any medical condition.
But House Bill 190 from Rep. Travis Johnson (D-Ferriday), which will become law Aug. 1, expands those who can recommend medical marijuana to nurse practitioners and medical psychologists.
RELATED:Cannabis? Marijuana? CBD? THC? Here’s what they mean, what’s legal and what isn’t
Medical marijuana can only be grown legally in Louisiana by the LSU and South ag centers. Lawmakers declined to increase the number of eligible growers this year.
Lawmakers also declined to expand the number of authorized pharmacies beyond the 10 existing regional monopoly pharmacies.
But they did approve a new law to let the licensed pharmacies add locations within their regions when their number of patients hits a certain threshold.
‘Adult use’ hemp bill passes
A new bill allowing any products over 0.5mg of THC per dose to be deemed “adult use consumable hemp” and setting the age limit to 21 for purchase was introduced by Rep. Clay Schexnayder (R-Sorrento), and became law Jun. 16.
THC is the psychoactive compound in cannabis that produces the high sensation. Hemp isn’t marijuana, but it is part of the cannabis family. Consumers don’t need recommendations to buy hemp products.
Bobby Williams, owner of 1620 Essentials Cannabis & Gifts in Ruston, said the new law regarding who can purchase adult use consumable hemp has a minimal effect on his business because he’s always required proof of age from customers.
“A high school senior shouldn’t be able to walk in here and buy edibles that’s going to be intoxicating basically,” Williams said. “That was never a good thing. I’m kind of glad that happened and to be honest, that was always the case here anyways.”
Tim Hitt, a partner in STR8W8 Cannabis, agreed with the new legislation since other products, such as alcohol and vape products, require consumers to be 21 and older to purchase.
Medical marijuana expansion
Kathryn Thomas, chief executive of Louisiana’s Healing Clinics that specialize in medical marijuana treatment, said she isn’t concerned about how the new law expanding those who can recommend the medicine is going affect her specialty clinics.
“No one can (technically) prescribe it because it’s still federally illegal,” Thomas said, thus the wording “recommend.”
Thomas said many doctors outside of specialty practices like hers continue to avoid recommending the drug because of that federal uncertainty.
“It can affect your banking,” Thomas said. “You cannot comingle marijuana money with your regular practice money. I’ve had to get a different workman’s comp carrier. Any time you bring in this federally illegal substance in your business, you have to be very aware that there’s a lot of negatives that could happen to your business.”
The Healing Clinics have locations in Baton Rouge, Madisonville, Lake Charles, Monroe and Shreveport.
Follow Ian Robinson on Twitter @_irobinson and on Facebook at https://bit.ly/3vln0w1.
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