Showing ordinances that apply to McDonald Chapel, AL
McDonald Chapel is an unincorporated community (population 739) in Jefferson County, Alabama. Because McDonald Chapel is not an incorporated city, it does not have its own municipal code. Instead, Jefferson County ordinances apply directly to properties here. The home cultivation rules below are the ones that govern your area.
Home cannabis cultivation is illegal in Jefferson County. Alabama prohibits recreational and medical marijuana growing. The 2021 Alabama Compassion Act authorized medical cannabis but only through licensed producers - patients cannot grow. Possession of plants brings felony charges. CBD hemp under 0.3% THC is legal.
Alabama prohibits home cultivation of cannabis entirely. The Alabama Compassion Act (Ala. Code §20-2A-1 through §20-2A-120, passed 2021) authorized medical cannabis but exclusively through a licensed producer system - Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) issues licenses to cultivators, processors, and dispensaries, but patients cannot grow their own plants under any circumstances. The commission has faced significant litigation delays, with license awards contested since 2023. Recreational marijuana remains fully illegal. Possession of any cannabis plant is treated as possession and potentially manufacture under Ala. Code §13A-12-211 (unlawful distribution of controlled substances) and §13A-12-212 (unlawful possession). Cultivation of small amounts: Class C felony punishable by 1-10 years imprisonment and fines up to $15,000. Cultivation of larger quantities (over 2.2 lbs/1 kg): Class B felony trafficking charges under §13A-12-231 with mandatory minimums. Industrial hemp cultivation under 0.3% THC is legal for licensed growers under the Alabama Hemp Farming Act (Ala. Code §2-8-380 et seq.) and the federal 2018 Farm Bill - operated through the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries. CBD products derived from hemp are legal retail items. Drug Enforcement Administration and Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board Enforcement assist state and local law enforcement with cannabis cases.
Simple cultivation under 2.2 lbs: Class C felony 1-10 years, $15,000 fine. Trafficking (2.2+ lbs): Class B felony, mandatory 3 years minimum, $25,000 fine. Property used for cultivation: civil asset forfeiture under Ala. Code §20-2-93. Federal prosecution possible for large operations.
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