The laws approved during Louisiana’s 2022 legislative session take effect Aug. 1, and among the changes are tweaks to the state’s cannabis laws.
Effective Monday, law enforcement cannot use the odor of cannabis as grounds to conduct warrantless searches of homes, the Associated Press reported.
Another change transfers oversight of Louisiana’s medical cannabis program from the Department of Agriculture and Forestry to the Department of Health, according to the news outlet, while another new law expands the number of dispensaries in the state.
RELATED: Louisiana Lawmakers Pass Medical Cannabis Expansion Bill
There are currently nine medical cannabis retailers in the state, but legislation passed earlier this year creates nine regions for each of those license holders and requires the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy to issue a 10th license to the region with the highest population density as of Aug. 1. The law also allows existing retailers in each region to open up to two additional dispensary locations in their respective regions upon meeting specified patient counts.
The law stipulates that no more than 30 total medical cannabis dispensaries can be approved by the board.
Another new law taking effect Aug. 1 protects workers who use medical cannabis from being fired, as well as protects job candidates from being discriminated against, if they are registered medical cannabis patients.
Louisiana launched medical cannabis sales in 2019 and expanded its program earlier this year to allow patients to access smokable flower.