Louisiana
Regulatory Framework
The regulatory framework for cannabis in Louisiana involves several departments. The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) oversees the medical cannabis program, including consumable hemp products. The LDH also handles registration and compliance of consumable hemp products for sale in the state[2].
Legal Status
The legal status of cannabis in Louisiana varies between medical and adult use. Medical cannabis is legal under specific regulations, while adult use remains illegal.
| Market | Status | Act/Law | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult-Use | Illegal | Acts 2019, No. 164, §1; Acts 2020, No. 344, §1; Acts 2021, No. 336, §1; Acts 2022, No. 498, §1, eff. June 16, 2022 [1] | 2022 |
| Medical | Legal | The Louisiana Therapeutic Cannabis Act [7] | 2022 |
| Homegrow | Illegal | Acts 2022, No. 498, §1, eff. June 16, 2022 [1] | 2022 |
Track-and-Trace
The Louisiana Medical Cannabis Tracking System (LMMTS) is employed to track medical cannabis from the seed stage until it is sold as a finished product or destroyed. This system ensures regulatory compliance throughout the distribution chain[3].
Licensing
Medical cannabis licensing in Louisiana is highly regulated with licenses for cultivation tied specifically to two state university agricultural centers which contract third-party firms for cultivation processes[5].
| License Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Medical Cannabis Vendor | Authorized universities and their contracted firms handle the cultivation, processing, and distribution of medical cannabis. [5] |
Possession Limits
Louisiana has specific possession limits for cannabis, differing significantly between medical and recreational uses, with strict penalties for violations[8][7].
| Item | Possession Limit |
|---|---|
| Medical Cannabis | Up to two and one-half ounces of raw or crude cannabis every fourteen days per patient [8] |
| Unregulated | Less than 14 grams results in a fine, more than 14 grams may lead to imprisonment [8] |
Medical Cannabis
Patients in Louisiana must be suffering from a qualifying debilitating condition as defined by the state law to be eligible for medical cannabis use. The process involves a bona fide clinician-patient relationship and a recommendation from an authorized clinician within the scope of their professional practice[7].
Additional Resources
- Wikipedia: Cannabis in Louisiana https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_in_Louisiana
- Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry https://www.ldaf.la.gov/
- Industrial hemp program https://www.ldaf.la.gov/plants/industrial-hemp/hemp-licensing
- Louisiana Department of Health https://ldh.la.gov/
- Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control https://atc.louisiana.gov/
- Louisiana Department of Revenue https://revenue.louisiana.gov/
References
- [1] Louisiana State Legislature, "Cannabis Adult Use: Illegal. Consumable hemp products; prohibitions," Acts 2019, No. 164, §1, eff. June 6, 2019; Acts 2020, No. 344, §1; Acts 2021, No. 336, §1; Acts 2022, No. 498, §1, eff. June 16, 2022. Available: https://legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=1147993
- [2] Louisiana Department of Health, "LDH Cannabis Program." [Online]. Available: https://ldh.la.gov/page/Cannabis
- [3] Louisiana Department of Health, "Louisiana Medical Cannabis Tracking System (LMMTS)." [Online]. Available: https://ldh.la.gov/assets/oph/Rulemaking/er/LDH_ER_Regulation_of_Medical_Cannabis_CLV_Signed_and_Dated_1_August_2022.pdf
- [4] Louisiana Department of Revenue, "FAQ - Industrial hemp-derived CBD products." [Online]. Available: https://revenue.louisiana.gov/FAQ/QuestionsAndAnswers/73
- [5] Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, "Medical Cannabis." [Online]. Available: https://ldh.la.gov/page/medical-cannabis
- [6] Louisiana Secretary of State, "Secretary of State's Office." [Online]. Available: https://www.sos.la.gov/
- [7] Louisiana State Legislature, "The Louisiana Therapeutic Cannabis Act." [Online]. Available: https://www.legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?p=y&d=96986
- [8] Louisiana State Legislature, "Possession limits for cannabis." [Online]. Available: https://legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=98880
- [9] Louisiana Department of Health, "Medical Cannabis Regulation," Louisiana Administrative Code, Dec. 2022. [Online]. Available: https://ldh.la.gov/assets/oph/Center-EH/sanitarian/fooddrug/cannabis/FinalRule12-22.pdf