Federal illegality is not preventing the State of Louisiana from possessing and selling marijuana. Maybe Berkeley and Oakland are too politically blue to get away with it, but that little municipal cannabis store in Washington State has been selling openly since March 2015. Louisiana is about to start sales.
Here’s a long quote about how flagship Louisiana State University is “touching the plant,” from an official LSU website.
In 2015, the Louisiana Legislature passed the Alison Neustrom Act, which paved the way for the production, recommendation, and use of therapeutic cannabis.
The LSU AgCenter is operating its Therapeutic Cannabis Program under one of the two licenses in Louisiana.
The LSU AgCenter selected GB Sciences Louisiana, LLC., as partner to cultivate and produce therapeutic cannabis products for patients with specific conditions. GB Sciences is a cannabis company focused on biopharmaceutical development, and has filed patent applications for use of cannabis therapies with neurodegenerative disease, chronic pain and heart therapies, as well as arthritis, Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease and asthma.
In compliance with the Act, approved medical care providers will oversee patients with debilitating conditions. Patients who have exhausted other medical options without a positive result may be recommended therapeutic cannabis by their practitioner, through specific delivery methods and specified dosages. The Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners has developed stringent guidelines for doctors to recommend therapeutic cannabis, including regular follow-ups and reporting.
The LSU AgCenter continues to work closely with state regulators, including the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy and the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners to ensure that patient and public safety are at the forefront.
GB Sciences Louisiana began renovation of their production facility in April 2018 and anticipate product availability for patients in 2019. The production facility will not be located on LSU’s campus and no one under 21 years old will be employed in the facility.
Under the terms of the agreement, the LSU AgCenter will receive $3.4 million or 10 percent of gross revenue, whichever is greater, over five years. GB Sciences Louisiana will support LSU AgCenter research through funding for personnel, laboratory research space and equipment and an additional monetary contribution for research initiatives.
As a public institution of higher education, the LSU AgCenter’s partnership with GB Sciences Louisiana represents a first in the therapeutic cannabis industry.
No taxpayer dollars will be spent on the project.
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Looking up the statute, Justia and the Louisiana Legislature have different supposedly current versions. But they don’t vary in any material way for this purpose.
(2) The Department of Agriculture and Forestry shall develop an annual, nontransferable specialty license for the production of prescribed marijuana for therapeutic use and shall limit the number of such licenses granted in the state to no more than one licensee. The Louisiana State University Agricultural Center and the Southern University Agricultural Center shall have the right of first refusal to be licensed as the production facility, either separately or jointly.
https://law.justia.com/codes/louisiana/2015/code-revisedstatutes/title-40/rs-40-1046/
The Department of Agriculture and Forestry shall develop an annual, nontransferable specialty license for the production of recommended marijuana for therapeutic use. Other than the licenses granted pursuant to Subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph, the Department of Agriculture and Forestry shall limit the number of such licenses granted in the state to no more than one licensee. The Louisiana State University Agricultural Center and the Southern University Agricultural Center shall have the right of first refusal to be licensed as the production facility, either separately or jointly. If neither of the centers exercise this option, the license shall be awarded pursuant to the requirements provided for in Paragraphs (3) through (5) of this Subsection.
http://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=96986
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