12/31/2025
Happy New Year 2026,
As the end of 2025 draws to a close, it naturally invites reflection on the events that brought us here—especially in the world of Cannabis advocacy in Alabama.
The Alabama Cannabis Coalition continues to grow by leaps and bounds. Growth alone, however, is not our ultimate goal. What we truly need are quality members—citizens of Alabama who are not afraid to stand up, speak out, and actively engage. Joining our website is more than signing up; it reflects initiative, independent thought, and a willingness to do your own due diligence. That matters. We are grateful you are here.
The beginning of 2025 was dominated by the Alabama Legislative Session. Never in a million years did we expect the Alabama H**p Industry itself to come under direct attack. Yet there we were in Montgomery—advocating not only for Cannabis consumers, but for the survival of the H**p Industry as a whole.
Since May 6, 2021, when SB46 was passed into law—legislation that, notably, has never been implemented—the sick, suffering, and dying citizens of Alabama turned to the H**p Industry to meet both medical and recreational needs. Despite all obstacles, citizens finally had legal access, and that access mattered.
The legislative assault began when Senator Tim Melson introduced SB132/2025. We were present at the Senate Healthcare Committee meeting on March 19, 2025, where the bill passed out of committee. Shortly after, SB237/2025—nearly identical—was introduced but failed to gain traction. At that point, the 2025 session already felt like a roller coaster, and many of us experienced a false sense of victory.
That changed abruptly.
On March 18, 2025, Representative Andy Whitt filed HB445. We were again in Montgomery on April 8, 2025, when HB445 passed out of the House Healthcare Committee—after being sold to committee members using erroneous information about H**p. Those of us in attendance were required to maintain decorum and could not object. We were fortunate that Carmelo Parasaliti, CEO and Founder of Green Acres Organic Pharms, was allowed two minutes—120 seconds—to refute those inaccuracies. He did an excellent job. Unfortunately, it was not enough.
HB445 moved swiftly. On April 10, 2025, it passed the House floor. By April 15, it reached the Alabama Senate. As the final day of the legislative session—May 6, 2025—approached, it became clear that the strategy was to force the bill through before time ran out. That day, HB445 passed the Senate with 19 YEAS and 13 NAYS.
After that defeat, there was one remaining hope: a gubernatorial veto. Cannabis advocates across Alabama mobilized, urging Governor Kay Ivey to veto HB445. Those efforts failed. On May 14, 2025, the Governor signed HB445 into law—delivering a devastating blow to the sick, suffering, and dying citizens of Alabama, and to the H**p Industry, which was given just over 45 days to comply.
As we look back on 2025, much remains unchanged. We continue to recruit members. We continue to ask—sometimes beg—citizens to stand up and speak out for legal access to Cannabis and H**p, and to push back against arrests and incarceration rooted in injustice. We continue planning for the 2026 Legislative Session and organizing our annual Alabama Cannabis Coalition Lobby Days.
The difficult truth is this: until more Alabamians find the courage to stand with us in solidarity, the establishment will continue to dismiss us as a rag-tag grassroots organization with little power. Yet we will not stop. We will continue to advocate, and we will continue to pray that citizens one day stop asking, “Why doesn’t someone do something?”—and realize they are someone. The power to create change has always been theirs.
Cannabis advocacy does not take days off. Some of us live that reality every day. Until there are more of us, the fight will remain uphill. Still, we are grateful you joined us, and we hope you are among the seeds that help grow strong, informed, and committed advocates for real change in Alabama.
If you are ready to engage, we encourage you to RSVP for the ACC 2026 Lobby Days. Visit our website, click the Events tab, and submit your RSVP so we can provide you with updates and event information.
We also invite you to participate in our 2026 Legislative Fundraiser by clicking on the “Donate” tab on our website.
No donation is too small. Your contributions make it possible for us to travel to Montgomery and advocate on behalf of people just like you—the citizens of Alabama—so they may have legal access to Cannabis and H**p.
Thank you for your consideration and continued support.
We may be ready to say goodbye to 2025, but we welcome 2026 with resolve, determination, and hope that the year ahead—and our continued hard work—will finally deliver the change Alabamians deserve.
With gratitude and resolve,
H. Marty Schelper
Founder & President
Alabama Cannabis Coalition
https://www.alabamacannabiscoalition.org/
