Lawmakers in Georgia are considering expanding access to medical marijuana a decade after the state legalized the possession and consumption of marijuana for medical use. State legislators had been strongly against legalizing medical cannabis for quite a while but eventually settled on allowing the use of low-THC products to treat various qualifying medical conditions.
Both Senate and House legislators are now expected to expand medical cannabis access in Georgia a little more. This comes after several years of failed attempts to expand Georgia’s medical marijuana policy and allow more patients to access and use cannabis for therapeutic purposes. However, with the March 6th Crossover Day deadline fast approaching, it seems that at least one proposal to expand medical marijuana access in Georgia is making headway through the Legislature.
Georgia’s original medical marijuana law launched a limited medical cannabis industry that capped THC levels in medical cannabis products at 5%. THC is the main psychoactive element in marijuana and it has been proven to have pain relief properties. CBD, another cannabinoid produced by marijuana, has a wider range of applications and can offer relief against various ailments.
In Georgia, patients who want to access CBD-infused products from a pharmacy or dispensary must receive a doctor’s approval. The recently introduced House Bill 227 would expand the state’s medical marijuana policy and make it easier for patients in Georgia to access medical cannabis.
Republican Representative Robert Dickey introduced the measure to overhaul Georgia’s medical cannabis system and allow patients who haven’t found relief from traditional pharmaceutical treatments to access medical cannabis. Rep. Dickey dubbed the measure the ‘Putting Georgia’s Patients First Act.’
The proposal will replace the phrase ‘low-THC oil’ with the term ‘medical cannabis’ in the state’s code in addition to ensuring patients have easier access to information about Georgia’s medical cannabis program. This was likely a result of a 2024 Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission report which found that many patients and doctors across the state didn’t know that Georgia had a medical marijuana program.
Additionally, the Putting Georgia’s Patients First Act removed the requirements that medical conditions such as Parkinson’s disease or cancer be end-stage or severe for patients to qualify for a medical marijuana card and added Lupus to the state’s list of qualifying medical conditions.
Speaking on the House floor as he presented his proposal to expand Georgia’s medical cannabis program, Rep. Dickey said he focused on aspects of the original medical marijuana bill that didn’t ‘put patients first.’ House lawmakers approved the bill in a 164-1 vote while its Senate counterpart, Senate Bill 220, advanced through the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and is headed to the Senate floor for a vote.
These efforts to expand access to medical marijuana in Georgia are likely to be welcomed across the industry, including entities like Curaleaf Holdings Inc. (CSE: CURA) (OTCQX: CURLF).
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