NEW ORLEANS — From Louisiana Medical Marijuana Doctors via the New Orleans Agenda:
House Bill 391, signed into law by Gov. John Bel Edwards in December, authorizes dispensaries to sell the smokable form of cannabis known as “flower.”
In Louisiana, there are three grow sites, two of which are part of the Louisiana State University system and one is part of the Southern University system. Dr. Mike Strain, Louisiana commissioner of agriculture and forestry, said these sites are getting ready for the shift. And according to Strain, the two universities are growing both medicinal marijuana and industrial hemp.
“There are about 150 acres of land that they’ve identified that can be used for cannabis cultivation,” he said. These grow sites have 185 to 200 pounds of product available for distribution across nine sites in major cities in Louisiana.
Smoking marijuana will still be illegal in any public place or on federal property where smoking is not allowed. Law enforcement officers will be able to take blood tests if they suspect someone of driving under the influence, but currently, there are no devices available to accurately measure THC levels at this time.
Under current law, possession of up to 14 grams of cannabis is punishable by a $100 fine, with no prospect of incarceration.
According to a recent survey, Louisianians in some of the most firmly Republican sections of the state support legalizing marijuana, and a majority of voters favor legislation that allows adults to consume cannabis.