While very restrictive compared to some other US states, Georgia’s medical cannabis program is being steadily embraced by the state’s residents.
Georgia’s General Assembly passed House Bill 324 (“Georgia’s Hope Act”) in 2019, which was subsequently signed into law by the state’s governor a couple of months later. While prior to this possession of up to 20 fluid ounces of low THC oil had been legal since 2015, cultivation, manufacture and sale of such products in Georgia was illegal, as was importing them from other states.
The purpose of Georgia’s Hope Act was to allow the legitimate use of medical cannabis for health care, including palliative care – and provide the framework for patients, and their caregivers, to gain access. But it wasn’t until September 2022 two companies were issued license to grow, manufacture and sell cannabis oil in the state due a complex licensing process and various legal challenges. Products finally became available for patients and caregivers to purchase in 2023.
Low THC oil is defined in Georgia as an oil that contains no more than 5 percent by weight of the intoxicating cannabinoid tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and an amount of cannabinol equal to or greater than the amount of THC. Patients and caregivers wanting access must get approval from an authorised physician and receive a registry card from the Department of Public Health. The cards, costing $25, are good for five years.
Georgia law lists 18 medical conditions as qualifying for the program, including cancer, intractable pain and PTSD. The only products permitted are liquid tinctures, topical creams, lozenges and capsules. Edibles, smokable and vaping products are not permitted.
So, how’s the program going? The Atlanta-Constitution provides some recent stats based on information sourced from the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission and Department of Public Health. Low-THC oil cards and the patient registry are managed by the Department.
- 21,368 active patients as at August 14, 2024.
- 1,542 caregivers with cards.
- Around 1,000 new registrations each month.
- Intractable pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, cancer, peripheral neuropathy, and seizure disorders are the top 5 conditions.
- 712 authorising doctors in the state.
- Around a dozen medical dispensaries providing products.
You can learn more about Georgia’s low THC cannabis oil program here.
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