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More Than 100 Alabama Patients Bought Medical Marijuana In First Week Of Legal Sales

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1 month ago

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“Our store manager saw a patient coming out, and as silly as it sounds, they jumped up and hit their heels. Yes, they were very happy to have that medicine.”

By Anna Barrett, Alabama Reflector

More than 100 qualifying patients have it purchased medical cannabis since the opening of Alabama’s first dispensaryThe Alabama Medical Cannabis Board said Thursday.

The state’s first purveyor of medical cannabis, Callie’s Apothecary, opened its first location in Montgomery on June 4 after a “soft opening” the day before. Justin Aday, the commission’s general counsel, said Thursday that 102 patients have purchased medical cannabis products in 111 transactions. Those transactions generated about $14,600 in pretax sales, with the average transaction being $131.56, Aday said.

Vince Schilleci, owner of Callie’s, said in a phone interview Thursday afternoon that the last week of business has been rewarding.

“I’m seeing a lot of happy patients,” he said. “Our store manager saw a patient coming out, and as silly as it sounds, they jumped up and hit their heels. Yes, they were very happy to have that medicine.”

According to the patient menu on Callie’s website, each item ranges from $42 to $52. Schilleci said the dispensary got its second shipment of products on Thursday and expects another on Friday, which will help meet patient demand.

“We had to, I hate to use this term ration, but we limited how much patients could buy because we knew how many patients were coming in, and we wanted people to at least have a chance to have something,” Schilleci said. “We’ve removed rationing now so patients can go down and buy their full 60-day allotment if they want.”

Aday said that since Thursday morning, 481 patients have applied for a cannabis card, of which 446 have been issued by AMCC.

Alabama’s cannabis law, passed in 2021, allows registered doctors to prescribe cannabis for about 15 medical conditions, including cancer, depression, Parkinson’s disease, PTSD, sickle cell anemia, chronic pain and terminal illnesses. Acceptable product forms are limited to pills, tinctures, patches, oils and gel cubes (peach flavor only), plant raw and smoking forms are prohibited.

As of Thursday, there are 52 doctors in Alabama certified to recommend medical cannabis to patients, according to the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners. Aday said 39 are registered with the AMCC, three are pending, and 21 of the doctors have prescribed medicinal cannabis to their patients.

“We certainly hope to see more of these patients come to that dispensary and other dispensaries open that will provide more geographic coverage,” Aday said. “We’re working with the lab processors on the new products that are being manufactured so that the dispensary has an inventory of the products and various products in that inventory to serve the patients that are visiting.”

Lawsuits have also hindered access to medical cannabis. Some companies sued the commission for not issuing licenses, citing a discriminatory process. In another case five parents sued the board over delays in accessing cannabis, which was dismissed in August.

Licenses for three of the four potential dispensary companies were not approved until December.

Three of the companies, CCS of Alabama, LLC, GP6 Wellness, LLC and RJK Holdings, LLC, have licenses and are expected to open storefronts this summer, according to AMCC Director John McMillan. A fourth license is pending litigation, but is likely to go to Yellowhammer Medical Dispensaries, LLC.

“I would do it all over again to see the smile on these patients’ faces. Now, I would have expected it to be a little easier, but it was worth it,” Schilleci said. “It’s been worth it. There’s no doubt about it.”

This story was first published by the Alabama Reflector.

user photo Max Pixel.

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Will the top World Cup expert in the fruit, vegetable, and horticulture sector come from Canada, the U.S. or Belgium?

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15 hours ago

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July 20, 2026

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FreshPublishers 2026 World Cup Group Stage






The World Cup is coming to an end, with the third-place play-off between France and England on Saturday, and the final between Spain and Argentina the following day. It won’t be long until the grand winner of FreshPublishers’ first World Cup pool is revealed.

© Fresh Publishers

As previously reported, Slim Kooli from Courchesne Laros is the favorite to win the €1,000 prize. He has secured a comfortable lead over Nol Batist of North American Interstate Greenhouse Company, while buyer Bjorn Van Ryckeghem of Deprez Construct is currently in third place.

1 Sim School Spain 1–0 2–1 737 9716
2 Nol Batist France 2–1 1–1 674 9433
3 Bjorn Van Ryckeghem France 2–2 3–1 674 9264
4 Christian Anton Smedshaug England 1–2 1–2 659 9134
5 Perry Springintveld Spain 1–1 2–1 647 9105
6 Willem Tijssen Spain 2–0 2–1 710 9098
7 Hans Borsboom Spain 2–1 2–1 528 9058
8 Bart Triemstra Spain 2–1 2–1 737 9052
9 Youness Bensaid Spain 2–1 1–1 722 8954
10 Vijay Dijkstra Portugal 2–0 2–1 382 8953

However, there have been some surprises during the tournament, and bonus points must be added, so we will keep the suspense a little longer. On Monday we will find out who is the main World Cup announcer in the international fruit, vegetable and horticulture sector…



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States Move To Let First Responders Use Marijuana And Psychedelics To Treat PTSD

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15 hours ago

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July 20, 2026

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“When you’re in the fire service, or in any of the first response industries, or especially in the military, things are going to accumulate over time, and what happens is you see a lot of things, crazy things that at least seem normal.”

By Amanda Watford, Stateline

This year more states have looked beyond traditional counseling and medication to help first responders deal with traumatic stress.

Firefighters, police, and emergency medical personnel routinely experience fatal accidents, violent crimes, and other traumatic events that can leave lasting psychological scars.

“When you’re in the fire service, or the first response industry, or especially the military, things just pile up over time, and what happens is you see a lot of things, crazy things that at least seem normal,” said Jason Cerrano, a retired firefighter and paramedic with more than 20 years of experience in Missouri. Cerrano is now director of research and commercial development at IDEX Fire & Safety.

In Ohio, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine signed into law last month a measure that will create the Post-Traumatic Injuries Commission to review requests from first responders to help cover treatment costs.

Maryland took a different approach this year, enacting a law protecting firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics and other rescue workers. employment discrimination for the illegal use of medical marijuana outside of work.

The new law, which will take effect in October, applies to medical cannabis patients who test positive for cannabis metabolites but are impaired while working.

Several other states are exploring emerging therapies.

A new Connecticut law expands a pilot program at Yale University studying psilocybin-assisted therapy Allowing any state resident 18 years of age or older to participate, provided they meet clinical eligibility criteria established by the Yale University Institutional Review Board. Previously, the pilot program was limited to veterans, retired first responders and frontline healthcare workers.

Missouri lawmakers advanced a bill allowing veterans and first responders to receive the psychedelics psilocybin and ibogaine in approved research studies. Under medical supervision for PTSD and other mental health conditions. The legislative session adjourned in May before lawmakers sent a bill to the governor.

This story was first published by Stateline.

Image courtesy of Kristie Gianopulos.

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Standard Wellness expands into Cleveland with dispensary acquisition

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2 days ago

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July 19, 2026

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Standard Wellness has entered into an agreement with License in the Flats, LLC to enter into definitive agreements to acquire a dispensary license in the Flats following the required regulatory review period. At the end of that period, the company and License in the Flats intend to execute those agreements and then continue to develop the dispensary into a retail location branded The Forest Cleveland.

Following regulatory approval of the change of ownership by the Ohio Division of Cannabis Control, the new dispensary will become the Company’s first retail location in the city of Cleveland, where the Company is headquartered.

Additionally, the Company announced the divestiture of The Forest Sandusky and The Forest Springfield, its Ohio dispensaries, to Greenlight, again subject to pending regulatory approvals.

“We are excited to expand our presence in the city of Cleveland and serve guests in our hometown,” said Kate Ols, Vice President of Retail for Standard Wellness. “As our business continues to grow, we are focused on building a retail network that will best position us to serve our communities for the long term. At the same time, we are proud of the role our Sandusky and Springfield dispensaries have played in Ohio’s cannabis history, and we are confident that those communities will continue to grow under Greenlight’s leadership.”

Standard Wellness and Greenlight are working closely together to support a smooth transition for staff and guests throughout the transfer process. As established operators in Ohio and Missouri, the companies share a commitment to strengthening the regulated cannabis industry and serving the communities in which they operate.

The new dispensary is expected to serve both local residents and visitors while completing the Company’s Northeast Ohio footprint.

Under Ohio law, a cannabis operator cannot hold more than eight dispensary licenses statewide. The acquisition of the Cleveland license and divestiture of The Forest Sandusky and The Forest Springfield allows Standard Wellness to continue to meet Ohio’s property limits while strategically repositioning its Ohio retail footprint and focusing investments in key markets.

Forest Sandusky and Forest Springfield have played significant roles in the evolution of Ohio’s cannabis industry. Sandusky was the site of the state’s first legal cannabis sale in January 2019, and Springfield became the first part of Ohio’s cannabis industry merger and acquisition transaction when Standard Wellness purchased Pure Ohio Wellness’ dispensary.

For more information:
Standard Wellness Holdings
standardwellness.com/

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