LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) – Thursday Governor John Bel Edwards signed a bill expanding Louisiana’s medical marijuana program. He says the new legislation will have a major impact on the lives of many Louisiana families. Medical marijuana has been legal in the state of Louisiana since the 70’s, but disturbing the drug has faced many obstacles, making it very hard for patients to actually use it. Under the new legislation, the drug will be distributed, in oil form, to patients.

State Senator Fred Mills said it will only be available at ten locations throughout the state.

“If a pharmacy or an investor is interested they need to contact the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy, and there is an application process to go through.”

Mills said there are also limitations on who can qualify for the drug.

“In the 1991 legislation that was passed, there were three diseases states, we’ve added it now to ten states that a doctor can recommend medical marijuana for patients with dimensional diseases.”

Right now LSU and Southern have the first legal rights to growing the drug. The two schools have until September to decline or accept the offer. Mills said legislators were careful to avoid misuse of the product.

“It’s highly regulated, and that was in respect to law enforcement, to make sure this is not recreational marijuana. We tried making sure that people who need this product can it, but also that this wouldn’t be just a rouge industry that’s not regulated.”

Mills says Louisiana’s marijuana law is one of the most conservative ones in the United States.