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The granddaughter of a deceased applicant named on an Alabama medical marijuana license form defended her family and its joint venture with multistate operator Curaleaf Holdings.
Mertha Carter, the former president of Carter’s Contracting Services, is listed as a 51% owner of 3 Notch Roots, a joint venture with Curaleaf, in the company’s minority application for an integrated facility license.
Carter died in March, before the application deadline, according to the Alabama Political Reporter news website.
Still, the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) ranked the application eighth out of 38.
In a statement supplied by Curaleaf Holdings, Hannah Carter, the granddaughter of Mertha Carter, said the application was compliant with state regulations.
“My family is Indigenous to this region and we have deep roots in agriculture, which made us an ideal partner for the team at Curaleaf as they sought to ensure a local approach to their launch in the state of Alabama,” Carter said.
“Further, we have always been transparent about our intentions to secure a license in the state of Alabama. To that end, we have adhered to every regulatory disclosure and requirements throughout the application process.
“For anyone to suggest that the passing of our family member was related to this process is not only offensive, but libelous.”
It’s not the first issue that’s been raised through Alabama’s MMJ licensing process this past year.
The first round of licensees was voided in June, and a new batch of licenses was awarded in August.
Chicago-based multistate operator Verano Holdings is one of two companies suing the AMCC after initially winning – and then subsequently losing – a coveted vertically integrated license.
It’s also not the first time questions have been raised about whether a marijuana license application by a deceased person is valid.
A Florida family was denied a cannabis license by a judge in August after the applicant, Moton Hawkins, died after submitting the application.
Kate Robertson can be reached at kate.robertson@mjbizdaily.com.
