1. (a) In order to commence, use, and maintain a reliable system to track all aspects of patient and caregiver qualification not later than September 1, 2022, the commission shall establish and administer an integrated, electronic patient and caregiver registry, known as the Alabama Medical Cannabis Patient Registry System, that does all of the following:

   1. (1) Receives and records physician certifications.
   2. (2) Receives and tracks qualified patient registration and issuance of medical cannabis cards.
   3. (3) Receives and tracks designated caregiver registration and issuance of medical cannabis cards.
   4. (4) Includes in the patient registry database for each qualified patient registrant the name of the qualified patient and the patient’s designated caregiver, if applicable, the patient’s registered certifying physician, the respective qualifying medical condition or conditions, the recommended daily dosage and type of medical cannabis, and any other information the commission, by rule, deems relevant.
   5. (5) Verifies that a medical cannabis card is current and valid and has not been suspended, revoked, or denied.
   6. (6) Tracks purchases of medical cannabis at dispensaries by date, time, amount, and type.
   7. (7) Determines whether a particular sale of medical cannabis transaction exceeds the permissible limit.
   8. (8) Tracks medical cannabis cards that are denied, revoked, or suspended.
   9. (9) Interfaces as necessary with the statewide seed-to-sale tracking system established under Article 4.
   10. (10) Provides access as further provided in subsection (b).

2. (b) The patient registry shall be accessible to the following:

   1. (1) State and local law enforcement agencies, provided the database may only be accessed upon probable cause or reasonable suspicion of a violation of a controlled substance law or of driving under the influence, and access is strictly limited to information that is necessary to verify that an individual is registered and possesses a valid and current medical cannabis card and, if appropriate, to verify that the amount and type of product in the individual’s possession complies with the daily dosage limit and type of medical cannabis recommended.
   2. (2) Health care practitioners licensed to prescribe prescription drugs.
   3. (3) Registered certifying physicians.
   4. (4) Dispensaries.
   5. (5) The State Board of Medical Examiners.
   6. (6) Licensed pharmacists.
3. (c) The commission may monitor patient registrations in the patient registry for practices that could facilitate unlawful diversion or misuse of cannabis and shall recommend disciplinary action to the board as appropriate.

(Act 2021-450, §1.)