AP Wire

Ag department in line for cut of medical marijuana sales

by The Associated Press

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana's agriculture department will get a slice of revenue from medical marijuana sales, if the governor agrees.

With a 91-4 vote Friday, lawmakers in the House gave final passage to the measure giving the department up to 7 percent of the revenue, to cover agency costs of regulating the drug.

The bill by Rep. Major Thibaut (TEE'-boh), a New Roads Democrat, also includes a list of fees the agriculture department would charge the medicinal plant's state-sanctioned grower, including a $100,000 annual incense fee and a $10,000 application fee.

The proposal heads next to Gov. John Bel Edwards.

Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says regulating the therapeutic drug will cost up to $700,000 annually.

Estimates are the state is up to two years away from medical marijuana sales.