The first medical cannabis dispensary in Georgia opened in Marietta on April 28, 2023. (FOX 5)
ATLANTA - Gov. Brian Kemp signed a bipartisan measure Tuesday that rebrands "low THC oil" as medical cannabis and significantly expands the rules for patients in Georgia.
What is SB 220?
What we know:
The new law, officially called the "Putting Georgia's Patients First Act," removes the previous 5% THC potency cap on medical products. Patients are now allowed to have up to 12,000 milligrams of medical cannabis if it is kept in labeled pharmaceutical containers.
The act also expands the registry to include conditions like Stage III HIV, severe Alzheimer's disease, and inflammatory bowel disease. Patients with incurable or irreversible conditions no longer have to go through annual certification requirements.
Missing registry details
What we don't know:
While the law requires the Department of Public Health to create rules for electronic registration cards, it is not clear when the full shift to digital cards will be finished. The specific "reliable scientific evidence" needed to support medical claims made by licensees to doctors has also not been detailed.
New medical cannabis rules
Big picture view:
The Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission now has expanded powers to study best practices and coordinate with state health officials. The commission will oversee a "seed-to-sale" tracking system to monitor all cannabis grown and sold in the state.
Licensees who fail to follow commission rules can face fines of up to $25,000 for a first offense. The commission is also tasked with conducting public awareness activities regarding the effective use of medical cannabis.
Legal limits in Georgia
By the numbers:
- 12,000: The maximum total milligrams of THC a person may legally have in pharmaceutical containers.
- 3,000: The number of feet a production facility must be from a school or church.
- 45: The number of days a person with an out-of-state registry card can legally have medical cannabis in Georgia.
- 5: The number of years a registration card remains valid from its date of issuance.
Future safety rules
What's next:
State officials must create rules to implement ingestion laws by Jan. 1, 2027. The law specifically bans smoking or burning medical cannabis but allows for vaporization for people over age 21.
Using medical cannabis in public places remains prohibited. This includes the use of any heating element or electronic device in public areas.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the full text of Georgia Senate Bill 220 and reports from the General Assembly, which outlined the expanded medical cannabis access signed into law by the governor.