Georgia Expands Medical Cannabis Program
[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]G[/dropcap]eorgia’s legislature just expanded its state medical cannabis program to include more qualifying conditions.
Although known to be sluggish when it comes to recreational cannabis, Georgia has had a medical program, albeit a restrictive one, in place since 2015. According to a press release, Lt. Governor Casey Cagle and the Georgia State Senate passed House Bill 65, which is intended to help patients in need receive low-THC medical cannabis oil.
“Georgians understand that many families depend on medical cannabis oil to treat otherwise debilitating illnesses,” Cagle stated. “We must make certain that government does not stand in the way of what patients and their physicians agree will improve their quality of life. I fully support implementing a safe, secure and reliable in-state system for patients to access low-THC medical cannabis oil. This legislation will provide a path to make that a reality. It also erases politics from the process that qualifies conditions for doctors to prescribe this medication.”
According to Politically Georgia, the Georgia State Senate voted 38-14 to amend the bill. Now, in addition to cancer and life-threatening illnesses, PTSD and intractable pain are listed as treatable conditions with cannabis. The bill also creates a study commission to regularly review medical cannabis laws.
Georgia has been making many legal strides lately. Atlanta just reformed their possession laws, and the state has been pushing for an expanded medical program for some time. However, the state has also come under fire for racist cannabis policy and major arrests for minor amounts of cannabis. Despite those opposed in the state, it looks like rational cannabis policy will slowly prevail.
