Bill > HB373

This bill establishes a temporary "Adult-Use Cannabis Pilot Program" in Louisiana, running from January 1, 2027, to July 1, 2030, to test the feasibility of a permanent adult-use marijuana program. The program will allow existing licensed medical marijuana retailers, cultivators, processors, and laboratories to participate in selling and producing marijuana for adult recreational use, in addition to their existing therapeutic marijuana operations. The Louisiana Department of Health (DHH) will oversee the program, and participants must adhere to the same health and safety regulations as the therapeutic marijuana program, with some exceptions for patient-specific rules. Sales of adult-use cannabis will be restricted to individuals aged 21 and older, and all participating locations will continue to use the Louisiana Medical Marijuana Tracking System (LMMTS) for reporting. The bill also clarifies that state and local sales and use taxes will apply to adult-use cannabis sales during the pilot program, and amends existing law to ensure that the sales tax exemption for marijuana applies only to therapeutic use, not to adult-use sales. A fee of 3.5% of gross wholesale sales of marijuana will be assessed on participating cultivators, processors, and transporters, with these funds directed to the Disability Services Fund. The bill aims to gather data and identify potential challenges before considering a broader, permanent adult-use program.

Health and Social Services

https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/BillInfo.aspx?s=26rs&b=HB373&sbi=y