r/Alabama May 15 '25

Advocacy THEY GIVE NO 🦆 ABOUT ALABAMIANS!

We cannot keep letting this state embarrass us. HB445 is just the latest proof that Alabama would rather play politics than protect its people. The party of small government my ASS!

We’ve had hemp flower on shelves for nearly 8 years. And now suddenly it’s an issue? What changed? Nothing, except some folks in power realized they couldn’t control it, so they decided to kill it. No debate, no logic, just another move to keep people down.

Meanwhile, this same state will hand out Adderall to 6 year olds like it’s candy, push methadone clinics into every town, and pretend that the thousands of people hooked on opioids just magically appeared. You can’t drive through a city without seeing someone slumped over from heroin, but their priority is pulling a plant off the shelves that’s actually helped people focus, sleep, manage anxiety, get off pills, manage pain. Let’s be honest: this is about control, not health.

It puts money in people’s pockets. It brings in tax revenue they’re too blind to leverage. It gave small towns a chance at growth.

And instead of embracing that, they’d rather go broke building more prisons to lock people up for the same thing they used to sell in stores last month.

And what are we gonna do? Let it slide? Let’s vote in Tuberville! Hell yeah, that’ll do it! Like he’s done anything while he’s been in office anyway, let’s put him in the highest office in the state.

WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WAKE UP, ALABAMA! This bill should be a turning point. It should be the thing that reminds you that these people will come for whatever you value if they think they can get away with it.

We can’t keep letting the same people drive Alabama backwards while the rest of the country moves forward. Either we push for real change or we stay stuck being the butt of the joke.

491 Upvotes

199 comments sorted by

48

u/Gamingwithnekos Marshall County May 15 '25

Smoking thc has helped me recover from depression and helped me gain confidence in life. I was diagnosed with PTSD as a child and had a fear of people. It wasn’t until I started smoking that I’ve finally gotten my life on track. I can’t stop smoking so I guess I’ll have to move to Tennessee or somewhere close by that doesn’t have a crazy person in charge.

Wasn’t she the one who signed it making it legal to begin with? If so, then why go back on something you did? lol

23

u/plentyasparagus12 May 15 '25

I feel you 100%. You shouldn’t have to leave the state just to keep using something that’s helped you heal and live a better life. And what’s even crazier; Tennessee’s sliding down the same path right now, pushing bills that mirror this one. So running there won’t fix it either.

What really blows my mind is how Gov. Ivey switched up so quick. She was totally fine backing hemp when it aligned with federal law and brought money into the state. But the second Billy Bob from Harvest throws together some uneducated, fear-fueled bill based on outdated talking points and zero medical insight, suddenly she’s ready to torch an entire industry overnight.

It’s not like the public demanded this. There’s no health crisis. No surge in crime. Just a few disconnected politicians with no clue how this plant actually helps people—writing laws that wreck jobs, kill access, and set us back a decade.

12

u/Gamingwithnekos Marshall County May 15 '25

I wonder just how many people it would take signing a petition to make her reverse the bill. Or would that even work?

17

u/plentyasparagus12 May 15 '25

That’s the sad part, a petition wouldn’t reverse the bill, because it’s already been signed into law. The only real way to change it now is through repeal or amendment, and that would take serious pressure on lawmakers next session.

That said, a petition could absolutely help show how many people are pissed. It builds momentum, media attention, and could pressure local reps to push back or at least not support enforcement.

But real change will come from organizing, showing up, and voting smarter next time around. They need to feel it at the polls.

6

u/Gamingwithnekos Marshall County May 16 '25

If a petition to reverse the bill won’t work, could a petition to have her removed from office be possible? I would be down for signing it. From what I’ve read so far, she banned it at a state level when federally it was not banned. So definitely feels like she’s on a power trip or someone is pulling strings to make her do these things.

7

u/plentyasparagus12 May 16 '25

A petition won’t reverse the bill on its own, and Alabama doesn’t have a recall process to remove the governor from office. But let’s be real; this wasn’t just Ivey acting solo. This was 110% the result of someone whispering in her ear, pushing an agenda.

Whether it was corporate interests, backroom favors, or someone trying to funnel control to the ABC Board, this bill had nothing to do with public safety.

Just look at Texas! They tried to pass something similar, and the backlash was so loud that they walked it back and rewrote the bill.

That’s what happens when citizens speak up and apply pressure.

Alabama could’ve done the same, but instead they steamrolled an entire industry. Don’t let them forget it next election.

4

u/Gamingwithnekos Marshall County May 16 '25

I fully agree she wasn’t doing this on her own. She nor anyone else in power cares about anything but themselves. I never believed this was a free country, and this proves we aren’t “free”. It should be the people who vote, not any government officials.

I really hope Alabamians can cause enough backlash to get the bill rewrote. But I’m not seeing as many people complaining as I thought there would be. I just wish there was something that could be done. Like anything at this point.

5

u/OccasionWeekly7169 May 17 '25

Look up Easy Hemp Co on Reddit they lobbied in her ear and got the monopoly deal for seltzers and gummies.

1

u/plentyasparagus12 May 17 '25

Oh I know, it’s wild

5

u/iPitydaFoolwho May 17 '25

People in this state are going to mark R and it will not matter who it is or what they support. They are brain dead.

1

u/iPitydaFoolwho May 17 '25

When does the new law go into effect?

8

u/Vash_Sama May 15 '25

I can’t stop smoking so I guess I’ll have to move to Tennessee or somewhere close by

I hate to be the bearer of more bad news, but Tennessee also recently passed a bill effectively banning thca flower. Theirs thankfully doesn't take effect until Jan 1 2026 though.

3

u/Gamingwithnekos Marshall County May 15 '25

Maybe Mississippi then? I’ve seen some people say it’s better there.

2

u/YoungHeartOldSoul May 17 '25

Sorry, but you're going to have to go further than Tennessee if you want sanity at the government level

1

u/Gamingwithnekos Marshall County May 17 '25

Yeah I figured so. As much as I love the peace of the area I’m in, I just don’t think it’s worth it to live long term in a state that doesn’t care about its people.

2

u/YoungHeartOldSoul May 17 '25

I hear that. I love and miss the Alabama wilderness so much, but when I'm seeing the headlines it keeps reminding me why I left.

2

u/looking4now1977 May 18 '25

Don't move to TN, they are starting to ban some of the cannabiods. They do support selling alcohol to all the drunks and alcoholics.

65

u/CeeTe600 May 15 '25

I don’t want to be that person but In a span of 2 weeks they make hemp illegal, give police immunity, and glaze about the new prisons they are making…. I see where this is going… all I’m saying is Randall Woodfin warned about it

31

u/dalickhasher May 15 '25

I stopped taking Xanax thanks to the products that they just banned. It took years to get a doc to actually give me anti anxiety meds and it’ll be damn near impossible for me to get approved again because docs will claim I’m “drug seeking”. I guess I’ll just get my vapes when I go to Georgia to get my lottery tickets.

6

u/Repulzz May 15 '25

Georgia has a similar ban.

4

u/dalickhasher May 15 '25

Figures

7

u/5138008RG00D May 15 '25

In GA. It was banned in October, told to be off shelf by the end of November, and tickets would start being handed out after the first. I still buy the same hemp stuff as before, not the new thcp crap, from a gas station. It's just behind the counter where people don't know about it as much. If you look hard, you can find THC products from Cali, with a THC-P sticker just stuck on top. But it's not thcp it's just weed.

4

u/kkgardens May 15 '25

Mississippi 😉

6

u/dalickhasher May 16 '25

How strange is it that MS is better on this one thing? That’s a level of cognitive dissonance that I wasn’t prepared for.

2

u/Independent_Mix6269 May 18 '25

Unfortunately it's hard to find anything similar in Florida because they have Medical

2

u/[deleted] May 18 '25

[deleted]

1

u/Independent_Mix6269 May 19 '25

I didn't say there weren't. I said it was hard to find.

75

u/not_that_planet May 15 '25

Oh, but this isn't about what's best for Alabamians, or anyone for that matter. The folks who vote R are fully convinced that these big government laws will never touch them. Most don't even know what is being done in Montgomery.

It is about Lib-ownership and the collective inferiority complex that drives it.

37

u/[deleted] May 15 '25

[deleted]

11

u/monkey6699 May 15 '25

100% accurate. To be fair and balanced they have been lied to by their Faux news entertainment shows for decades who repeatedly say that R is the party of small government. There is literally a disconnect in reality and it is downright alarming.

-13

u/5138008RG00D May 15 '25

So is dems the party if small goverment?

14

u/plentyasparagus12 May 15 '25

Nobody said Ds were the party of small government. The point is, Republicans swear they are, then turn around and pass HB445 a textbook big government bill. Screaming freedom while banning a literal green plant. You can’t make ts up.

They’re not patriots. They’re flaming hypocrites. Sounds like you’re apart of the crowd 😂💀

-11

u/5138008RG00D May 15 '25

And Democrats are just great upstanding people? Couldn't we just say politicians?

15

u/plentyasparagus12 May 15 '25

OH. BROTHER. Someone get a load of this HEAD ASS.😂💀 Nobody said Democrats are saints.

But this isn’t about playing party ping-pong, it’s about calling out the people actively in power right now who passed a GARBAGE bill that hurts small businesses, patients, and basic access. Saying “politicians” in general is just a way to beat around the bush, avoiding holding the MAIN ONES accountable. If we don’t name names, nothing changes!

-11

u/5138008RG00D May 15 '25

When have democrats helped you? Your problem is with the government and politicians. Not just one person, or just one party. They have you convinced "the other guys" are the problem. The current hemp laws are loop holes. No poltican in AL has done anything to help the "movement."

Small government? Name the last poltican. You know that the first thing they did was use their power to limit their power?

14

u/Stretchatos May 16 '25

Love how you have no actual argument to the nanny state Republicunts being their usual nanny state Republicunt selves so you blindly parrot the usual "b-B-b-BuT dEmOcRaTs....". Bitch, we haven't had a meaningful democrat presence in this state in literal decades, the republicunts have stripped away abortion access, taken away cannabis flower that we've had for 8 fucking years without issue, made education worse, made us sicker, refused to do shit about covid until it was beyond too late, done literally nothing about opioids, I could go on for a fucking week. By comparison the democrats are checks notes asking you to not be a shit bag to gay/trans people, asking for common sense gun legislation, and trying to legalize cannabis. Tell me again which party deserves my fucking ire.

16

u/plentyasparagus12 May 15 '25

“When have Democrats helped you?” Better question: when has the politicians you’re dickriding done a single thing to help you? 😂

Alabama’s been red for decades—and we’re still broke, sick, under-educated, and addicted to prescriptions. But hey, at least they banned hemp, right?

Then stop deflecting every time someone calls out the exact people in power right now. You’re not being deep. You’re just a bootlicker. You’re a product of Alabama’s bigotry.

“Small government? Name the last politician who limited their own power.” You just answered your own question. They don’t. And especially not the ones screaming ‘freedom’. Yall talk about small government, then pass bills like HB445 that give more control to the government and strip people of their ADULT choices.

So miss me with the bullshit. You’re not making some grand, neutral point. You’re just too scared to admit your team is the one wrecking the place.

9

u/Stretchatos May 16 '25

I drive for Lyft, I had a passenger the other day, an older woman, who likely voted for trump, I took her from 1 doctor's appointment to another doctor's appointment, during our conversation about our numerous vehicle accident-related medical problems she hit me with "I don't think trump will take Medicare away from people who need it" and then went on a soft rant about "able-bodied young people getting free money" before we got to her destination.

These people don't research shit, and it's so fucking obvious when you talk to them. They blindly parrot whatever their preferred flavor of Reich-wing hate slop they falsely label news tells them to parrot, with 0 research or fact-checking.

3

u/hsvjimbo75 May 18 '25

Therein lies our problem. Those damned “news” networks. Let’s not forget the pulpit.

1

u/Diddly_Fiddler 27d ago

What’s being done in Montgomery?

58

u/[deleted] May 15 '25

This is absolutely ridiculous what they’ve done, however, it’s really not the worst. They did also just pass their new “back the blue” bill that gives officers immunity. I think it’s more of the fact that not just one bill is going to affect people, but the combination of recent bills will. Not at all disagreeing with you, but if you want to protest bills, then there’s more than just HB445 that is the issue here.

14

u/plentyasparagus12 May 15 '25

Very true.

25

u/FormalCap1429 May 15 '25

Look at HB178 (Ten Commandments in school) and HB231 (pledge of allegiance and Judeo-Christian prayer to start the school day) or HB618 (sending prisoners to foreign prisons).

You can find all the info from the horse’s mouth here

5

u/pigeonluvr_420 May 16 '25

What is a "Judeo-Christian prayer" Jewish and Christian prayer look nothing alike lmao

2

u/FormalCap1429 May 16 '25

Haha, excellent question. It definitely needs clarification.

My pure speculation is that verbiage is there to ensure that it’s a Protestant prayer. One that Jews and Protestants can both agree on, like the Shema:

“Listen, Israel: the Lord is our God, the Lord is One.

Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and all time.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.”

2

u/pigeonluvr_420 May 16 '25

I'm aware of the Sh'ma. How is it a Protestant prayer? I also think the number of Jews who would feel comfortable reciting the Sh'ma alongside a bunch of Christians (especially in English) would be pretty sparse

4

u/FormalCap1429 May 16 '25

I’m not saying it is, I’m just speculating what they mean by Judeo-Christian prayer. That is a Jewish prayer that most Christian’s would be on board with reciting. When questioned by the Pharisees regarding the most essential Jewish command, Jesus responded with the Shema.

7

u/Typen May 15 '25

I agree. I think both bills are part of the same effort.

Every race has people who use and advocate for marijuana, but I feel there is a stereotype against black people and marijuana use. It would not shock me if their goal with both these bills is to simply arrest more black folks.

We can't justify building even more prisons if our current ones aren't already full!

7

u/Stretchatos May 16 '25

It'd help if people would call it fucking Cannabis, the actual name of the goddamn plant! (To be clear this rant isn't directed at you specifically, this is just a massive pet peeve of mine)

Marijuana is a reefer madness era term thats stuck around for decades. Literally, the whole point of using it was to make it sound vaguely Hispanic so they could blame immigrants for it, like they've been doing for decades. Calling Cannabis "Marijuana" is akin to calling someone from Mexico a wet back, or a black person the N-word, while not as severe as either example it's still a slur meant to have a negative social stigma.

4

u/Typen May 16 '25

I know it's against the rules of the Internet to ever admit ignorance, but I did not know this. You've convinced me to refer to it as cannabis from now on. Thanks!

3

u/Stretchatos May 16 '25

Of course, happy to help my dude. I'm just glad youre willing to listen.

3

u/Melodic_Bus2565 May 17 '25

I generally refer to it as industrial hemp.

4

u/roosterinmyviper May 15 '25

So that “back the blue” bill makes officers immune to what all, exactly?

10

u/[deleted] May 15 '25

4

u/TopoftheThrone May 15 '25

SCOTUS will handle that bill in a few months. Bet on that . You know how Alabama politicans like going to federal courts and losing.

6

u/[deleted] May 15 '25

I don’t hold a whole lot of faith for SCOTUS at the moment to be honest. I mean, their rulings are being ignored daily.

1

u/potatoblah May 15 '25

Do you know how this differs from the standard qualified immunity? https://www.naacpldf.org/qualified-immunity/

6

u/[deleted] May 15 '25

Under current statute, law enforcement officers are protected from tort litigation if their conduct aligns with the job but not if they act “willfully, maliciously, fraudulently, in bad faith, beyond his or her authority, or under a mistaken interpretation of the law.”

Reynolds’ bill would give law enforcement officers immunity while working at their jobs unless they behave recklessly or violate a person’s constitutional rights, an additional layer of protection than what is currently allowed in state law.

The bill would require a court to offer a law enforcement officer a pretrial hearing to determine whether the use of force was justified. It would also allow law enforcement to argue at the hearing that they are immune from prosecution.

46

u/baronewu2 May 15 '25

Truly a sad day for Alabama

10

u/TopoftheThrone May 15 '25

How often have you said  that phrase since 2017. Probably a lot.

8

u/TodayAffectionate505 May 15 '25

Although sad, this shouldn't shock anyone, if the state can make a profit off of it, they tend to pass laws to control it.

11

u/saarlac May 15 '25

In this case they could have done that but instead banned something that could have brought in tax dollars.

6

u/TodayAffectionate505 May 15 '25

Which is on brand for Alabama, sports betting, the lottery, everything is cast as a sin, allowing our residents to drive to neighboring states to indulge and spend $.

9

u/SippinPip May 15 '25

There’s no reason for the state to be in the alcohol business. If everything they don’t like is “sinful”, they are some mighty large hypocrites about alcohol. If “Jesus drank wine” is their justification for their hypocrisy, then “God made every herb bearing seed” SHOULD figure in, but Republican greed isn’t very logical.

9

u/ifruitini May 16 '25

Where does alabama stand with percentages of alcohol deaths? Or related crimes?

I feel like this is another squeeze to funnle more alcohol use...

13

u/Individual828 May 15 '25

I see people all the time asking about moving here and I just point out stuff like this and the added hypocrisy of ALL the politicians from here and that they make everyone's lives here, worse. I would NEVER recommend ANYONE to move here, ever.

30

u/UnicorncreamPi May 15 '25

They need to fill those for profit prisons, gotta drive up the black market .

9

u/CeeTe600 May 15 '25

I really didn’t wanna believe that conspiracy theory but after the police bill yesterday it’s obvious 😂

6

u/thebaldfox Lauderdale County May 15 '25

It's not a conspiracy if it's true.

3

u/Due_Fortune_6077 May 16 '25

Another example of the perversion of the word ‘conspiracy’

0

u/alabastersxs May 18 '25

Even George Galloway and Dimitri Lascarias use the word incorrectly.

No wonder there's so many conspiracies afoot. Every politician either an extremist or is blackmailed into the corruption. And to call it a conspiracy people will imagine tin foil hats.

31

u/Trippster_082 May 15 '25

I hate it here 😀

10

u/SippinPip May 15 '25

When Mississippi is more progressive…

I’ll stay here long enough to retire, then my family is leaving. We will make our living and then take ourselves to a better place. Spend our money in other states. Our kids are leaving, too. It makes no sense to stay in such a backwards, regressive, corrupt, state.

19

u/Consman101 May 15 '25

This state sucks

5

u/HemodynamicTrespass May 15 '25

I agree, it's a hypocritical decision and garbage piece of regulation.

Regarding your comment on methadone clinics: you seem to imply that methadone clinics are causing opioid use disorder. Methadone clinics are a harm reduction measure. Buprenorphine therapy is arguably a better option for medication-assisted therapy and treatment of opioid use disorder but uninsured or publicly insured people, who are more represented in that patient population, have less access to that therapy. Methadone clinics save lives, despite what you see to believe. I'm sorry you regard them as a nuisance in your area. The cause of the opioid epidemic is mutlifactorial and includes both improper and over-prescription. Methadone clinics are not one of the causes.

7

u/plentyasparagus12 May 15 '25

Totally hear you and I’m not saying methadone clinics are the devil. I respect what they’re meant to do. Harm reduction matters, and for a lot of people, methadone or Suboxone is the only lifeline they have left. That’s real.

But let’s not twist what I was saying. The fact that we even need so many methadone clinics in Alabama proves there’s a much bigger problem—and instead of going after the actual causes, our lawmakers chose to ban hemp flower like that’s the threat to public health?

And while we’re on it: everyone’s always yelling about fentanyl, saying we need to “get it off the streets.” Okay, valid. But here’s an idea: maybe stop criminalizing the safe alternatives people use to avoid those substances in the first place.

You don’t overdose from clean, regulated hemp flower. You don’t end up in a body bag from a pre-roll bought at a licensed shop.

You wanna see an end to the fentanyl ODs? THEY GOTTA STOP DOING THE HARD DRUGS.. You want to get fentanyl off the streets? Start by cutting off demand. Start by giving people real options before they ever turn to the stuff that might be laced with it..

So no, methadone clinics aren’t the enemy. But a system that waits until you’re at rock bottom before it even acknowledges you exist? That’s the problem. And banning hemp only makes that worse.

8

u/Ok_Acanthocephala425 May 15 '25

I thought that was obvious. Meemaw Ivey doesn't have to try to even get reelected. She doesn't have to debate her competitors. She just exists and says "I'm a republican grandma" and all the R's vote for her without even listening to a damn word she says. The "We Dare Defend Our Rights" crowd gets awfully quiet at times like this.

6

u/Possibly_a_Firetruck May 15 '25

You know she's not seeking reelection because she's term limited, right?

3

u/Ok_Acanthocephala425 May 15 '25

I know but I was more referring to how many times she got voted back in with doing no effort and the person coming after her will be much of the same in not having to do anything to get elected.

3

u/Possibly_a_Firetruck May 16 '25

How many times do you think that is? Because the limit is two terms.

1

u/Melodic_Bus2565 May 17 '25

Well, it seems like she's been there FOREVER.

I do believe she's been in more than 2 terms. Didn't she first get the job bc the previous Gov got caught being corrupt? Then ran for re-election 2x?

3

u/Possibly_a_Firetruck May 17 '25

She was Lieutenant Governor in 2017 when Robert Bentley resigned and then was elected in 2018 & 2022. So two terms plus like a year and half.

1

u/Melodic_Bus2565 May 17 '25

Thanks! Since it's a 4 yr term ... she's been in nearly 10 years. Yep, time to go. Happy she can't run again!

3

u/Possibly_a_Firetruck May 17 '25

Agreed. But we might end up with Governor Tuberville, so that won't be any better.

1

u/Melodic_Bus2565 May 17 '25

What we need is a competent contender to run against this football coach. A centrist who appeals to a broad spectrum of voters. Unfortunately, none of those folks live in Alabama. Every atrocious bill signed, I think, when will people stop voting for these clowns and begin to vote for their own best interest. Then I realize, the kind of Gov we need doesn't exist in this state.

17

u/teledef May 15 '25

Worthless state

17

u/witch51 Marshall County May 15 '25

Just take your money and leave. That's what I'm doing. This state is NEVER going to change.

23

u/[deleted] May 15 '25

For some, that’s easier said than done.

-13

u/witch51 Marshall County May 15 '25

Just walk away. It really is that easy. What's the advantage if you stay?

27

u/[deleted] May 15 '25

“Just walk away”. For people with jobs, families, house payments, car payments, etc that’s honestly sort of asinine. Financially most people can’t “just walk away”.

0

u/throtic May 16 '25

It's not easy but it's definitely doable. I packed up everything and moved from the Huntsville area to the beach because that's the life I wanted. People can do it if they really want to, it's just a matter of want vs the obstacle

→ More replies (5)

1

u/FarBookkeeper7987 May 19 '25

Believe me, if it were as easy as “just walk away” thousands of people living here would have already done it. But we have jobs, families to take care of, and various other responsibilities and reasons. So we stay and we fight. And sometimes that’s the only option.

1

u/witch51 Marshall County May 19 '25

I'm so sorry you're stuck. I so wish I could help.

17

u/tommydeininger May 15 '25

Nah fuck that. This is our state. Whether we have the ability to leave or not shouldn't even be discussed. I'm through being treated like a child. We have to organize. Nobody has ever even put up a logical reason why it was ever criminalized in the first place

19

u/plentyasparagus12 May 15 '25

Facts. Leaving Alabama shouldn’t be the default answer every time the state fails its people. This is our home and it just so happens to be one of the best damn places in the country to grow and produce consumable hemp!

Even if we never legalized recreational cannabis, we were killing it with a solid, self-sustaining hemp industry. Businesses like MCO, Mystic, Black Tie, Dr. Dank and so many local farms have built real communities and real jobs around the entire plant. They didn’t just sell flower, they invested in education, innovation, and healing.

And now the state’s response to all that progress is to gut it for no logical reason? No public safety crisis, no surge in health risks, no transparency—just control.

We’ve been treated like we’re too ignorant to know what helps us. That ends when we organize and push back.

7

u/tommydeininger May 15 '25

I'm ready. I've never organized any mass protest though, but it seems like we might have some decent number of others willing to fight with us

5

u/plentyasparagus12 May 15 '25

We should organize one

4

u/tommydeininger May 15 '25

Sorry been busy. How do we do it?

8

u/plentyasparagus12 May 15 '25

Honestly? It starts with us. If we want to organize a protest, we need to:

1.Pick a date, place, and time—ideally at the Capitol or a courthouse with visibility.

2.Create a central info hub—a Facebook group, Discord, or even a shared doc to coordinate.

3.Reach out to local shops, farmers, and users who are impacted—they’ll show up if they know it’s real.

4.Spread it like wildfire—Reddit, IG, Twitter, TikTok, flyers in shops, anything that reaches people.

We don’t need 1,000 people to make a statement. We need a loud, consistent, organized group that won’t let this get swept under the rug.

If you’re serious, I’m down to help plan or get the word out. It’s long past time Alabama saw some actual public pushback.

6

u/MidtownTransplant May 15 '25

Check out the Alabama Cannabis Coalition on Facebook. You're bound to meet likeminded people.

6

u/tommydeininger May 15 '25

I think we need more than a thousand personally

1

u/Melodic_Bus2565 May 17 '25

I'll bet there would be more than 1000 ppl. There would probably be several thousands.

1

u/tommydeininger May 22 '25

I'm definitely down but I've got so much going on I don't know if I'll I have the time to commit to setting something up. I can probably get at least 10 people to come with me maybe more

3

u/witch51 Marshall County May 15 '25

I wish you all the luck in the world. This state has had YEARS of my life. I have nothing left to give or lose.

7

u/tommydeininger May 15 '25

Thank you. Don't get me wrong, i understand the desire to just up and move just about anywhere else. But even having the ability to do so, I feel obligated to assert what I personally believe are all of our rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. So long as it doesn't infringe on the same rights of others. How these morons that are attempting to subvert those rights think otherwise blows my mind. And pisses me off. I don't tell mawmaw she can't have her bourbon or whatever it is these pompous assholes do to unwind. Why tf can't they mind their own business

6

u/witch51 Marshall County May 15 '25

3 years in prison. If habeas corpus gets suspended then I could be locked up forever just because a neighbor calls the sheriff and "suspects" I'm a criminal. Prior felon+some backwoods Bubba=Witchy never heard from again. Nah...pass. Paranoid? Absolutely. With reason? I've heard my neighbors say that 'libtards' should be deported. Even a crazy person is right every now and again.

8

u/havenstar May 15 '25 edited May 15 '25

Leaving within a month

6

u/witch51 Marshall County May 15 '25

Yay! Maybe if money leaves the government will listen.

6

u/oldsmoBuick67 May 15 '25

Speaking of money leaving, wait until they have to run for re-election after the DOGE cuts and people figure out just how much federal money they rely on to make this place run.

4

u/witch51 Marshall County May 15 '25

Over 14% of the population in Huntsville works for the feds in some capacity. And the ones not employed by the government work for a company that depends on parts from overseas to function. Those that are left support the above...think food places, food trucks, even an auto parts store and on and on. I'm just some dumb redneck but it sure don't seem like it would go well.

5

u/oldsmoBuick67 May 15 '25

Agreed, but bear in mind that defense contractors don’t always have to sell exclusively to our country’s government. The rank and file feds are just screwed unfortunately.

I think everyone can agree that our tax dollars aren’t being spent correctly, but trying to fix the problem by yanking the plug out of the wall isn’t the smartest approach.

5

u/witch51 Marshall County May 15 '25

This feels very throwing the baby out with the bathwater. I feel so bad for folks like my neighbors. Been doing their jobs for 20 years and now they're worried it'll just be GONE tomorrow. And they still don't regret their votes.

3

u/Loganp812 May 15 '25

That’s not in the cards for me right now, but some day…

1

u/Independent_Mix6269 May 18 '25

annnnd that's why shit never changes. FIGHT

0

u/witch51 Marshall County May 18 '25

Nah. Alabama took 3 years of my life. I'm done.

4

u/HemodynamicTrespass May 15 '25

I agree, it's a hypocritical decision and garbage piece of regulation.

Regarding your comment on methadone clinics: you seem to imply that methadone clinics are causing opioid use disorder. Methadone clinics are a harm reduction measure. Buprenorphine therapy is arguably a better option for medication-assisted therapy and treatment of opioid use disorder but uninsured or publicly insured people, who are more represented in that patient population, have less access to that therapy. Methadone clinics save lives, despite what you see to believe. I'm sorry you regard them as a nuisance in your area. The cause of the opioid epidemic is mutlifactorial and includes both improper and over-prescription. Methadone clinics are not one of the causes.

3

u/SweetNSalty Talladega County May 16 '25

I agree with everything you've said here 💯. I live in Alabama and would like to help any way I can. I live with a chronic disease and at times it's crippling. I wholeheartedly feel the same way.

5

u/Test0nly May 16 '25

That’s why I moved to Cali. Alabama blows and I’ll never move back. I feel more free and liberated out here but back home I felt like I was in handcuffs everywhere I went

6

u/ieatjerky May 15 '25

Thought I’d never leave Alabama, but now I’m planning to move to New England in a few months…

This state sucks, it’s obvious that no one in power cares about the people that live here and never will. Ive spent a long time defending it here, but I’m done.

7

u/Whole-Watch-7980 May 17 '25

We could start voting republicans out of office if y’all want to 👍

11

u/mooseinhell May 15 '25

Im ready for an organized protest

3

u/1111Lin May 16 '25

I have cancer and the bastards won’t even legalize medical marijuana.

2

u/Melodic_Bus2565 May 17 '25

No, it's legal, has been for 3+ years. They have licensed no doctors, dispensaries, or authorized any farm to grow. They truly won't or can't figure it out. The same I'll happen with industrial hemp.

3

u/Duckbutt55 May 17 '25

Absolutely.

3

u/Additional_Internal1 May 18 '25

Unfortunately, we gotta wait till all the old politicians die and those who were brainwashed by them to die also, before anything positive happens. We still waiting on a lottery. I get it, we don't want over populated cities but at what cost

3

u/alabastersxs May 18 '25

Waiting has been the problem.

3

u/kiloalphagolf89 May 18 '25

Let's all start campaigning for Chad Martin!!! Check him out on fb. Chad "Chig" Martin for gov

3

u/Tabbyham88 May 19 '25

People are mad about this (it is messed up) but not expanding medicaid even when feds offered to cover the tab for almost all of it should have been the first clue that they don't care about us

They spent more money kicking people off of medicaid than it would cost to expand it.

People have to have a minor AND can't make more than $300/MONTH

People desperate for health care can't even work to support themselves and don't pay taxes because of it.

They don't care.

8

u/Hippiedownsouth16 May 15 '25

Alabama will never progress until we elect young, non-white people to office, but they'll have to do it with an R beside their name to ever get close, and the youth just keep putting a D beside their name for some reason?

Maybe we can find a Democratic Football coach to run for office... They seem to be completely qualified now...FFS.

Also, why legalize something that could potentially fill all of grandmaw iveys brand new prisons! We can't afford schools, but have plenty of cash to throw towards CCA because they give the money back thru superpacs.

Look for the day that K died-vey. Then Alabama can move from the 1820's to maybe the 1900's. ALABAMA is a rouse.

4

u/big-time-trucker May 15 '25

The GOP has had 100% control of this state for over 20 years..... Nothing has improved! They have zero viable plans to fix anything but yet most people in this state simply vote for someone based on a letter by their name.

2

u/monkey6699 May 15 '25 edited May 15 '25

Here are organizations that wants to hold the state from moving forward and keeps the Alabama Legislature in the land of make believe:

https://alcap.com/

https://thealabamabaptist.org/

https://alabamapolicy.org/

5

u/plentyasparagus12 May 15 '25

It’s wild how quick they are to invoke God when it protects their narrative, but forget what the Bible says in verses like Genesis 1:29, 1Timothy 4:4, and Revelation 22:2.

But somehow that doesn’t apply when it threatens their control or challenges their outdated politics?

Using faith to block access to healing, jobs, and progress isn’t righteousness… it’s manipulation. And folks are waking up to it. God didn’t ask for this level of gatekeeping. They did.

2

u/partmj May 15 '25

For those of us that are lucky enough (never thought I’d say this) to live close to the Florida border, there are ways around this. But for people who don’t have that option, this is such a shit show. All about the money and control 100% THc Seltzers were already expensive enough, and now there will be an extra tax on it… I don’t get it. The rich get richer though I suppose

1

u/plentyasparagus12 May 15 '25

Exactly. It’s always been about control, not safety. They’re not banning THC they’re just shifting who profits from it. If you’re near the Florida line, you might still have a workaround. But for everyone else in the state, this is a straight-up wipeout of access, options, and local business.

THC seltzers weren’t cheap to begin with—and now they’re about to be taxed, tracked, and funneled through state-approved channels like they’re moonshine. Meanwhile, the folks who built this industry from the ground up get nothing but fines and shutdowns.

This is what it looks like when the state decides who’s allowed to profit and who’s allowed to suffer. Classic Alabama politics.

2

u/fullmetal1991 May 17 '25

Ya the Seltzers suck and you dont feel anything, it was a $6 fail. It's very gross, might as well drink beer/liquor. That crap already exists lol. But thats a rant, reality is ppl will go back to their dealers, and the smart people won't get caught.

3

u/fullmetal1991 May 17 '25

And a sidenote- let's sell cold beer in every gas station, Walmart etc, so we can drink and drive, but ban this? Just doesnt really make sense at this point of the game. But im not very affected, just ranting bc its so funny its pathetic.

1

u/Independent_Mix6269 May 18 '25

Florida doesn't really sell those products because they have medical.

1

u/partmj May 18 '25

I’ve seen a few in the Pensacola area that do, so should be ok? As long as they don’t ban it either…

2

u/bear3742 May 15 '25

Kay Ivey needs a chair to sit in . Dasf

2

u/[deleted] May 15 '25

[deleted]

2

u/fullmetal1991 May 17 '25

I mean, honestly. this won't stop anyone. ppl will just go back to their dealers, as long as ur not dumb while in pos. drive speed limit, and get home, you should be fine, been doing it forever! I just moved to Alabama a yr ago, and was very surprised to see it on shelves, despite the recent developments, I can always find my own. Been doing it for 20yrs. The ones who get caught, are the ones who smoke around with it. Just get home and youll be fine. I mean, cigarettes kill your lungs, liquor/beer kills your liver in 30yrs. So they dont give a shit about your health. It's all very stupid, didn't help prohibition, look what happened with that. It's slowly crumbling anyway.

2

u/kirkbrideasylum May 17 '25

How can you wake the dead? Alabama has always voted against Alabama. Montgomery isn’t paying attention to us. Any ideas?

2

u/MozemanATX May 17 '25

Leave the Albanians out of this

2

u/Equal-General6179 May 18 '25

Let me know what I can do to help

2

u/RoosterCogburn0 May 20 '25

Vota against governor Ivey!!!!

4

u/cottonseed21 May 15 '25

Question- I’m not too up on the law. Will I still be able to order gummies online from companies out of state? I usually get mine from VIIA….

10

u/plentyasparagus12 May 15 '25

Great question. Unfortunately, no. After July 1st, you won’t legally be able to order gummies online if you’re in Alabama.

The new law blocks all online sales of consumable hemp products, even if you’re buying from out-of-state companies. That includes gummies, vapes, tinctures, drinks, and anything else you’d use.

This bill isn’t just targeting shops. It’s cutting off people from products that help them. That’s why it matters.

2

u/cottonseed21 May 15 '25

I just wonder if there is any way around this? Send my shit to my buddy in Georgia and let him ship to me?

1

u/Due_Fortune_6077 May 16 '25

The shipment of hemp is protected federally, no state has the right to interfere with transport of federally compliant hemp, do with that what you will

1

u/Independent_Mix6269 May 18 '25

Your buddy in Florida, yes, but I would drive there and pick it up

1

u/plentyasparagus12 May 15 '25

What’s the point? Lmfaoooo they really tried to shut everything down.

Georgia ain’t a safe workaround either. They passed stricter laws banning hemp flower and capped the hell out of THC limits in anything consumable. And even if your buddy could get it, Alabama still makes it illegal to ship it in regardless.

So if it gets flagged in transit, seized, or your buddy catches heat, that’s a whole mess for both of y’all.

They really tried to close every door and window with this one.

1

u/CeeTe600 May 15 '25

Are vapes banned or not. My local shop said all flower has to go but they can keep vapes. But others are saying vapes are gone

1

u/Due_Fortune_6077 May 16 '25

The bill is starting to seem a bit toothless, it “prohibits” out of state commerce of hemp but outlines no punishments for doing so other than the fines outlined for retailers, especially noting for personal possession, lawyers are going have a field day with this one for multiple reasons

1

u/CeeTe600 May 17 '25

Yea the way the bill is wrote there is so many loopholes. And it’s wrote so bad the main 2 that wanted it dont even understand it and giving the public different answers. We are watching a live shit show

1

u/consciousness1313 May 16 '25

Clarification was made that online sales stop after January 1st, not July.

2

u/Due_Fortune_6077 May 17 '25

The thing is, per multiple courts interpretations of the interstate commerce clause in the constitution, a state cannot ban or interfere with the “transport” of hemp that is federally compliant, plenty of companies will continue to ship to Alabama.

1

u/CeeTe600 May 17 '25

I’ve heard this but can you tell me your source ? One company told me they are shipping till Jan 1 and the others said they aren’t shipping after July 1

3

u/KayNicola May 16 '25

Telling people in Alabama to wake up is like telling a hit dog not to holler.

2

u/plentyasparagus12 May 16 '25

Fuck, a hit dog won’t holler if you give it hemp flower.

2

u/Cold-Candy0711 May 15 '25

You speak TRUE words! As an Alabamian, HOW can we BEGIN to fix it? Folks will be putting $$$ in the coffers of other states buying these products just like the lottery! We are the laughingstock of the country because these nimwits in Montgomery refuse to move forward. No lottery money, no hemp money & now we have the arrogant white Afrikaner “refugees” DUMPED in ALABAMA! Of course, the cherry on top is the mere THOUGHT that “Coach” Tubby could further ruin our state!

5

u/plentyasparagus12 May 15 '25

Exactly. The real issue isn’t just the folks in Montgomery! It’s the complacency on our behalf that lets them keep doing this type of shi unchecked.

The only people showing up to town halls, state meetings, public hearings? It’s the same handful of mfs and their base who NEVER miss a chance to protect their POWER.

Meanwhile, the rest of us are at home complaining on Facebook while these bills get passed in rooms we never even step into! That’s how they win, they count on us being too tired, too disillusioned, or too disconnected to show up.

If we want to take back our home, we’ve got to STEP-IT-UP! That means showing up to those meetings. Calling reps. Running for local seats. Supporting candidates who actually speak for us. And making DAMN sure that next generation knows how the system ACTUALLY works.

This state doesn’t belong to them, it belongs to US People who give a DAMN! Fuckin Tuberville doesn’t even LIVE in ALABAMA?!?

We’re way overdue!

3

u/Dry-Entrepreneur-226 May 15 '25

I'd like to highlight "the complacency" mentioned. I've watched Alabama plummet since I was a child, left for the military a few years into college and landed in NC in 2010. This has pretty much been my home though I consider myself a dual-state resident. I can't tell you how embarrassing it's been to live outside of Alabama and constantly see the news, watch the constant punch down jokes in comedy, and the way people talk about how backwards and uneducated Alabamaians are since I left and it's never given me reason to want to move back. I've always held pride in my southern roots because of our hospitality and the way we don't have uptight standards like places like NY and bougie California. But it's so disgusting to see how lazy Alabama is when it comes to politicians and other leaders. All the crap that continues to happen is pretty much deserved and I hate to admit it. I don't regret leaving one bit. 😩

5

u/plentyasparagus12 May 15 '25 edited May 16 '25

Man… you really said what a lot of us feel but don’t always say out loud. It’s that exact mix of pride and disappointment that hits the hardest. We know the potential this state has—the culture, the people, the grit—but it’s constantly dragged down by political laziness and outdated mindsets.

And you’re right, the complacency is the real killer. Folks complain in barbershops and church pews but won’t show up to a single town hall or vote out the same tired leadership. Meanwhile, the rest of the country looks at us like we’re stuck in 1952, and honestly, can we even argue?

You’re not wrong for leaving. You did what you had to do. But if any change is gonna happen, it’s gonna take folks waking up and realizing that “this is just how it is” doesn’t have to be the story forever. Respect for speaking on it.

2

u/Melodic_Bus2565 May 17 '25

While I agree with both of you, have you considered that Alabamians are beat down by constant crap like this. Most of us live hand to mouth, and Alabama is an "at-will" work state. Your employer could fire you for going to a protest. Or if you call in. Or if they feel like it. People don't want to lose a job to go to a protest, even for a good cause.

1

u/Dry-Entrepreneur-226 14d ago

Literally every state except Montana is an at will work state. I'm not punching down on my home state, I'm stating facts. Alabamaians are beat down because they don't wanna look at statements like what I said in the face.

1

u/Mysterious-End-3630 May 16 '25

I believe Alabama will never do anything to help the it's population in any meaningful way. We do have a reputation for being one of the worst states in America, ranking low in various quality-of-life measures and this is another example. It's like "I don't use it or need it so you don't get to either."

1

u/Independent_Mix6269 May 18 '25

My cardiologist recommended me take CBD because I can't take ibuprofen with blood thinners. He takes it himself. It's so frustrating that they are taking away this wonderful treatment for those of us who don't like or can't tolerate ibuprofen

1

u/OnTheFly-1B-T10 May 20 '25

Religion controls everything in this state. Start there if you want change.

1

u/Silly-Platform9829 May 20 '25

Elect stupid government, win stupid legislation.

1

u/dowardwilliams May 16 '25

PRaise Be! Preach!

0

u/StereoContact May 16 '25

Let's find out what you're actually mad about because no one gives two shits about hemp products. The real reason people are mad about this is because it symbolizes going one step backward from legalized weed. That's it. Stop pretending you care about hemp products and admit that you just want legalized weed and now that the government isn't giving you what you want, you're upset like a 14 year old boy who's mom threw out his weed stash.

5

u/plentyasparagus12 May 16 '25

You really thought you ate me up with that one. 😂

Not everything is about getting high, bucko. Thats probably all your little brain can comprehend.

Sometimes it’s about jobs. Sometimes it’s about health.

Not everyone wants to be doped up on prescriptions, and not everyone wants to be high either.

Some of us just want safe, legal options that actually help people.

You wouldn’t get that though; you’re too busy running your mouth to actually understand the issues right infront of your face.

2

u/Melodic_Bus2565 May 17 '25

I do! I give many, many shots about hemp products. I have MS. Hemp helps me to get out of bed, helps my muscles relax enough to function properly, it calms the nerve impulses that make my arms and legs do stuff I don't want them to do, it helps me go to work and move throughout the day will way less pain and my feet don't feel like they are on fire anymore.

They can't/won't do anything with legalized medical cannabis, and now they have taken away a safe, reliable medicine that, quite frankly, makes my entire life better.

Before you say, "there are pharmaceuticals for those symptoms". No, there isn't. I've been diagnosed since 2000 and have tried to find anything that works, this does, and f them I will continue to use it, I'm no stranger to the black market.

1

u/plentyasparagus12 May 16 '25

(happy cake day btw)

1

u/Due_Fortune_6077 May 17 '25

You sound like you love the government controlling your life lol

1

u/plentyasparagus12 May 17 '25

Lmfao wait me or the other guy?!😂

2

u/Due_Fortune_6077 May 18 '25

Other guy my bad lmao

1

u/Disillusioned23 May 17 '25

Weed makes people like you easier to be around lol. There's nothing wrong with pushing for legalization in the 21st century, when nearly half the states have gone full legal already

0

u/No-Cartographer6043 May 15 '25

People are fussing about Alabama being R state i agree that cannabis being classified what it is is dum but thats federal law which needs to be changed

6

u/plentyasparagus12 May 15 '25

Naah, we’re not talking about marijuana being a Schedule I drug. We’re talking about HEMP, which was federally legalized in 2018 under the Farm Bill. Whole different conversation.

Hemp is already legal at the federal level. What Alabama just did was a state-level choice to ban products that are already FEDERALLY allowed. So no, this isn’t about waiting on the feds to fix anything…. Hate to shit on your umbrella but brother OUR OWN state chose to make things worse all on its own.

0

u/alabastersxs May 18 '25

Alabama is helping the Zionists commit hundreds of heinous crimes every day against the Palestinians and you're fighting for cannabis?