They’ve waited a long time for this relief.” This relief has been awaited for a very long time .”
By Ross Williams, Georgia Recorder
After waiting for years, Georgia’s medical marijuana registry could soon allow thousands of patients to receive their medicine legally.
The Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission has granted two companies five licenses to sell low-THC oils to patients listed on its list.
Trulieve Georgia submitted applications for three facilities, in Marietta and Macon. Botanical Sciences LLC submitted applications for two facilities, in Pooler or Marietta.
The companies have 120 days from the date of approval to open.
Georgians: we are on our way! Georgia’s first Medical Cannabis dispensary is opening tomorrow in Macon
Tomorrow at 9:30 am, we will celebrate our grand opening with food trucks and giveaways.
https://t.co/cpZa7f9rOv
Trulieve (@Trulieve). April 27, 2020
Sidney Johnson, Chair of the Commission, said: “This is an important milestone for the Commission and for those certified patients who can legally get medical cannabis in the near future.” They’ve been waiting a long while for this relief. The first law was passed in 2015 The initial law was passed in 2015.
Metro Atlanta counties are home to the majority of the 27,000+ patients listed. According to the commission, between 2,000-3,000 patients reside in each of Fulton and Cobb counties. Bibb County is home to between 500 and 750 people, while Chatham County hosts between 250 and 500.
A company may apply for as many as six licenses to distribute.
Andrew Turnage, Executive Director of the Commission, said: “We anticipate that our licensees will continue to open more locations in order to reach an even greater number of patients.”
Once the facilities are open, patients and their caregivers will be able to check the website of the commission for their licenses. Patients will also need to present their Department of Public Health patient registry cards and a photo ID in order to receive their medication.
Only people with serious illnesses, such as end-stage cancer or Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s diseases, are eligible to register. The program does NOT allow recreational marijuana.
The state legislature legalized low THC medical cannabis oil in 2015. However, the law didn’t allow patients to receive the drug legally.
Georgian patients may be relieved by the approval, but other companies who applied for licenses in Georgia to grow the product say that the process of deciding which companies would receive licenses was unfair. Four smaller growers were also given a higher level of licenses. Their court cases continue.
The lawmakers did not pass a bill this year to open up the process and increase the number of growers.
The Georgia Recorder published this story first.
Under a bipartisan Congressional Bill, insurance companies that work with marijuana businesses would be protected.
The article Georgia Issues First Medical Cannabis Dispensary Licenses first appeared on Marijuana Moment.
