Medical Marijuana May Be Likely, But Patients Still To Wait

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Gov. Bobby Jindal has said he will sign a medical marijuana bill into law. But state officials say patients in Louisiana  with cancer, glaucoma and a severe form of cerebral palsy will still have to wait at least two years to use it.

That's because state agencies must first develop rules for how the drug is produced and distributed. Louisiana must also issue 10 medical marijuana pharmacy licenses through a competitive bidding process.

Someone also has to grow the drug. LSU and Southern University have the first right of refusal. After that, the single grower's license allowed under the bill will be competitively bid.

State Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain, who will oversee the cultivation process, says that all takes time.