- Louisiana state legislators recently passed a new bill making changes to the Louisiana Therapeutic Marijuana Act.
- The bill extends the medical marijuana program to stay in effect until July 1, 2030, transfers cannabis growing licenses to companies Good Day Farm and Ilera Holistic Healthcare, and expands pharmacy options for patients.
Louisiana’s medical marijuana program has existed in some form since 1978. Since then, legislators have periodically amended and updated it to make cannabis more accessible for patients in need, with the most recent version passing in 2015.
On May 22, 2024, the state legislature passed Senate Bill 228, which extends the program’s expiration date and makes changes to the production of medical marijuana in Louisiana.
TeleLeaf is committed to helping you navigate all aspects of medical marijuana—and that includes new medical marijuana legislation. Learn more about this bill and what it means for you below.
A Guide to the Louisiana Therapeutic Marijuana Act
In 2015, the Louisiana state legislature passed the Louisiana Therapeutic Marijuana Act, the current iteration of the state’s medical marijuana program. The federal government doesn’t recognize the medical uses of marijuana, but many states do.
Since no federal standards exist, state medical marijuana programs vary in terms of:
- Who can qualify
- What cannabis products you can use
- Who can manufacture and distribute medication
- How often do you need to renew your medical recommendation
Specifically, the Louisiana Therapeutic Marijuana Act covers:
- How to qualify – Any Louisiana resident with a qualifying medical condition can gain access to medical marijuana with a licensed provider’s recommendation. Qualifying conditions include a wide range of physiological, neurological, and mental health conditions, as well as any condition the physician finds “debilitating” and believes cannabis can help treat.
- Where patients can access their medication – The program now allows ten pharmacies spread throughout the state to dispense medical marijuana products to patients. Each one supplies patients within a designated region as established by the Louisiana Department of Health.
- How much medication patients can possess – Patients may obtain a maximum of 2.5 ounces of cannabis every 14 days. In 2015, the law did not permit inhaling cannabis, but as of January 1, 2022, patients over 21 can now purchase and use raw cannabis flowers.
- Who can grow and produce medical marijuana – The state awards two grower’s licenses each year. Since the beginning of the program’s most recent version in 2015, Louisiana State University (LSU) and Southern University have held these licenses, opting to renew them each year.
Additionally, the act has a “sunset clause” attached. A sunset clause states that a law will end by a certain date if legislators fail to renew it. When the law was first passed, it was set to expire on January 1, 2020, but legislators extended it to January 1, 2025.
Senate Bill 228: An Overview
Senate Bill 228 immediately went into effect after the Governor signed it into law on May 22, 2024.
The bill serves two main purposes:
- It extends the medical marijuana program’s sunset clause by five and a half years, with the program now set to expire on July 1, 2030.
- It transfers the two annually-issued cannabis growing licenses from LSU and Southern University to Good Day Farm and Ilera Holistic Healthcare.
How will these changes impact you and your medical marijuana access?
Marijuana Production in Louisiana: Then and Now
To understand what these new changes mean for Louisiana’s medical marijuana program, let’s look at how hemp production operated before the bill passed vs. now.
Before Senate Bill 228
In 2015, Louisiana selected two growers to supply all nine (now ten) medical marijuana pharmacies. They picked LSU and Southern University, two public state schools.
Each school contracted with a private company to help jumpstart production:
- LSU partnered with Good Day Farm
- Southern University partnered with Ilera Holistic Healthcare
The state legislature granted the universities the right to grow hemp as long as they renewed their licenses each year. Both universities partially profited from their medical marijuana sales.
After Senate Bill 228
Now, medical cannabis production rights belong fully to the two private companies LSU and Southern University previously partnered with: Good Day Farm and Ilera Holistic Healthcare.
The new bill won’t allow new companies to apply for a growing license unless either company decides not to renew.
Louisiana’s Hemp Industry: A Closer Look
So, what do we know about Good Day Farm and Ilera Holistic Healthcare, and how will this change in growing licenses impact cannabis production?
- Good Day Farm and Ilera Holistic Healthcare are well-established – Since both of these companies used to have contracts to grow cannabis, production in the state likely won’t change much. These growers are already familiar with the growing process and regulations in Louisiana, so they’re poised to support growing operations in our state.
- Good Day Farm produces more products – Ilera Holistic Health hasn’t produced as much cannabis as Good Day Farms in the past. However, both may now increase their production in hopes of boosting profitability.
Medical cannabis patients in Louisiana can also look forward to new pharmacies opening. Since there are now ten licensed pharmacies across the state, patients will have improved access to products across regions.
Positive News for Marijuana Decriminalization and Legalization
Progress on other federal and state laws also holds promise for recreational and medical marijuana users alike.
- A 2024 Louisiana state law removed jail time as a possible punishment for people convicted of possessing marijuana-related paraphernalia.
- The Biden administration has proposed to reschedule marijuana from its Schedule I status to a Schedule III drug. The plan’s 60-day public comment period closed at the end of July; it received over 40,000 comments, with most commenters expressing positive approval. Several lawmakers are now urging the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to promptly finalize the rule.
Currently, as a Schedule I drug, marijuana belongs to a group of drugs the federal government deems “highly addictive” with “no medical uses.” Schedule III encompasses drugs with low risks of addiction. Some examples include Tylenol with codeine, ketamine, anabolic steroids, and testosterone.
While the new Schedule III classification wouldn’t federally legalize marijuana, it would:
- Acknowledge the myriad medical benefits cannabis offers
- Make it much easier to conduct cannabis research
- Allow cannabis businesses to file for federal tax deductions
The move to reschedule marijuana marks a step in the right direction for both recreational and medical cannabis users. With more awareness and research supporting marijuana’s medical uses, patients across the country may soon enjoy even more comprehensive access to safe, holistic healing.
Get and Renew Your Medical Marijuana Access with TeleLeaf
Louisiana cannabis production laws might have changed, but the medical marijuana recommendation and renewal requirements remain the same. TeleLeaf knows these processes better than anyone.
To get medical cannabis access in Louisiana, you need to meet with a state-certified medical marijuana clinician who can assess your condition and see if you qualify for the program. With TeleLeaf, you can connect with an experienced provider from the comfort of your home.
What’s more, our doctors practice compassion and efficiency: if you qualify, you’ll gain immediate access to cannabis. TeleLeaf can even help you find your nearest pharmacy, too.
Schedule your same-day appointment now and learn why over thirty thousand patients trust TeleLeaf to advocate for their healing needs.
Sources:
Louisiana State Legislature. Senate Bill No. 228.
https://www.legis.la.gov/Legis/ViewDocument.aspx?d=1379423
Marijuana Policy Project. Overview of the Louisiana Therapeutic Marijuana Act.
https://www.mpp.org/states/louisiana/overview-of-louisianas-medical-cannabis-law/
Cornell Law School. Sunset law.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/sunset_law
Louisiana Illuminator. Pulling weeds: Legislators make big changes to Louisiana’s cannabis industries.
https://lailluminator.com/2024/06/03/pulling-weeds-legislators-make-big-changes-to-louisianas-cannabis-industries/
NORML. Louisiana: Governor Signs Legislation Decriminalizing Possession of Marijuana Paraphernalia.
https://norml.org/blog/2024/06/24/louisiana-governor-signs-legislation-decriminalizing-possession-of-marijuana-paraphernalia
Marijuana Moment. Schumer, Booker, And Other Senators Push DEA To ‘Promptly Finalize’ Marijuana Rescheduling.
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/schumer-booker-and-other-senators-push-dea-to-promptly-finalize-marijuana-rescheduling/
United States Drug Enforcement Administration. Drug Scheduling.
https://www.dea.gov/drug-information/drug-scheduling
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