Millbrook Council Tables Hill Liquor ABC License to Sell Hemp

The Millbrook City Council voted to table Hill Liquor and Wine’s application for an Alcoholic Beverage Control license to sell consumable hemp products at its regular meeting Feb. 24, 2026, after councilors and law enforcement sought more information about compliance with Alabama’s new hemp law that took effect Jan. 1, 2026. The applicant is Hill Liquor and Wine; the store’s manager is Cannon Patel.

The state law that began Jan. 1, 2026 allows retailers to apply to sell consumable hemp products but imposes specific packaging and potency rules: products must be sold in child-resistant packaging, may contain no more than 10 milligrams per single serving and no more than 40 milligrams per carton, and sales are limited to customers aged 21 and older. Millbrook Police Chief P.K. Johnson pressed for clarity during the council discussion, asking, “What kind of products will you be selling?” and warning, “You do understand that there’s going to be some stringent regulations because everything is new to both the ABC Board and your local law enforcement. Are you aware of the label requirements?”

Councilors directed several questions intended for Hill Liquor and Wine manager Cannon Patel to Chief Johnson, signaling that local enforcement and labeling interpretation were central to the decision to delay. Councilor identified only as Gay noted the novelty of the request in Millbrook, saying, “You are the first that has come before us. On our side, we are learning too, so that we can properly represent the city to you, but we have a lot more questions than we do answers.”

Meeting coverage did not include a roll-call or vote tally for the tabling motion, and the council’s public record as reported did not provide a first name for councilor Gay. The council’s stated reason for tabling the application was to allow additional time for review and discussion of the new law’s requirements and how the city will enforce them locally.

Hill Liquor and Wine’s application materials, any proposed product lists, and a timeline for when the council will revisit the item were not released at the meeting. With Chief Johnson and council members seeking specifics on product types, labeling and enforcement, Millbrook’s first known request to sell consumable hemp locally has been paused pending further information and review of the statutory packaging and potency requirements.