Alabama health officials withdraw objection to federal marijuana rescheduling

State reverses stance on DEA rescheduling as Alabama's medical program expands with multiple dispensaries now operating.

FILE — statehouse · B.D. Gilfry / CC BY-SA 2.0

Alabama's health department has withdrawn its objection to federal marijuana rescheduling, according to reporting by WSFA. The reversal marks a significant shift in the state's official position on a potential change to the drug's Schedule I classification.

The timing aligns with tangible expansion of Alabama's nascent medical cannabis market. Two dispensaries are currently open at the retail level, with a third having launched in Athens by mid-September, per local reports. A medical patient also received cannabis in June, signaling operational readiness within the state's regulated framework.

The withdrawal suggests Alabama officials may be recalibrating expectations around federal policy. Watch whether this posture influences the state's ongoing cannabis licensing and regulatory development, particularly as integrated facility hearings continue and the program matures operationally.