An Alabama judge appoints a mediator in a long-running medical marijuana dispute

Associated Press

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A judge has appointed a mediator to try to negotiate an end to a long-running dispute over who gets licenses to grow and sell medical marijuana in Alabama. Montgomery Circuit Judge James Anderson on Tuesday appointed retired Circuit Judge Eugene Reese to act as mediator in the case. Anderson said he thought mediation would be helpful in reaching a resolution. Alabama lawmakers in 2021 approved a medical cannabis program that would allow people to access marijuana for certain medical conditions. But three years later, medical marijuana remains unavailable in Alabama amid an ongoing legal fight over some of the licenses to grow and sell the products.