Fairhope City Council Passes Hemp Ordinance

By Rick McCann
Blue RAM Media/Gulf Coast News

March 26, 2026

FAIRHOPE, Ala. The city of Fairhope now has a new ordinance which allows consumable help products to be sold.

Alabama banned smokeable hemp sales last July but allowed cities to adopt consumable sales starting January 1, 2026.

However, not everyone agreed with the passing of the ordinance, and some have said that it will open the door for other things such as marijuana.

Even the city council had mixed decisions, and the vote was not unanimous.

Joshua Gammon, who is serving his first term on the council, voted against the proposal, saying he doesn’t want possible negative impact such as minors being exposed or more people in the hospital.

With the passing of this local law, hemp products such as drinks, topical and edibles can now be sold within city limits and police jurisdiction with strict product testing.

Councilman Jimmy Conyers said he’s heard from more people for it than against it, while the Mayor Sherry Sullivan had no opinion.
She pointed out that neighboring communities have passed it, and said the city “will have to deal with issues anyway.” She said the benefit to the ordinance is that it has more regulatory practice.

“We can pull their business license if the ABC Board has issues with them,” she said.

Those licensed to sell the products will include pharmacies, grocery stores and hemp dispensaries.

However, hemp is a derivative of marijuana and does have low amounts of THC.

Hemp, or industrial hemp, is a versatile Cannabis sativa plant cultivar grown specifically for industrial and consumable products, containing very low levels of THC. It is a fast-growing, sustainable crop used to produce textiles, paper, biodegradable plastics, insulation, food, and biofuel.
Hemp is a relative of marijuana but is not as potent.

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