A bill filed in the Louisiana House of Representatives would create a temporary program allowing for limited recreational marijuana sales.
House Bill 627, sponsored by State Representative Mandie Landry Newell, was assigned today to the House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice. Titled the “Adult-Use Cannabis Pilot Program Regulation and Enforcement Act,” the bill authorizes the Louisiana Department of Health to oversee a regulated pilot program for non-medical marijuana sales and production, starting January 1, 2026.
Under the proposal, only existing therapeutic marijuana retailers and licensed cultivators would be eligible to participate. Each of the state’s administrative regions would be allowed one adult-use retail location, operated by a permit holder already authorized to dispense medical marijuana. Participants must notify the Department of Health at least 90 days prior to launch.
The pilot program would run through July 1, 2029, and would include mandatory tracking through the state’s Louisiana Medical Marijuana Tracking System. Sales would be subject to standard state and local sales taxes, and a 3.5% fee would be levied on wholesale sales by licensed cultivators—down from the 7% fee imposed on medical-only sales.
HB 627 would not allow new entrants into the industry, restrict sales to adults 21 and older, and explicitly preserve the state’s existing medical marijuana framework. A $5,000 annual permit renewal fee would apply to each participating retailer, cultivator, and testing lab.
The measure is designed to evaluate the logistics, public health implications, and regulatory demands of a broader legalization plan before committing to a permanent adult-use system.
