Legislation to extend the sunset period for Louisiana’s medical marijuana pilot program has been passed by the state’s full Senate.
Senate Bill 228, filed by Senator Patrick McMath earlier this month, was passed by the Senate today by a vote of 32 to 5. This sends the measure to the House of Representatives, with passage in the House Governor Jeff Landry.
Louisiana’s medical marijuana pilot program was passed in 2022, allowing Louisiana State University and Southern University as licensed producers of marijuana for therapeutic use. The production and distribution of medical marijuana is under the regulatory authority of the Louisiana Department of Health.
Under current law the program expires at the end of the year. SB 228 would extend the sunset period to 2030.
The measure also “removes the universities as the licensees and transfers the licenses to the two contractors who had contracts with the universities on January 1, 2024”, and it “establishes procedures for the Louisiana Department of Health to renew or revoke the licenses.”
For the full text of Senate Bill 228, click here.
According to polling released last year by the Reilly Center for Media & Public Affairs at Louisiana State University, 70% of Louisiana adults support ending the prohibition on possessing “small amounts” of marijuana. This marks an almost 30% increase from the 42% support the move had in 2013.
