Connect with us

Georgia Patients Gain Legal Access to Cannabis Oil

Published

on

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]P[/dropcap]atients in Georgia may soon have access to a low-potency cannabis oil, as Republican Gov. Brian Kemp signed a medical cannabis bill, House Bill 324, known as Georgia’s Hope Act, into law on Wednesday.

Gov. Kemp approved a measure that he referred to as “carefully balanced.” He shared that this new legislation would allow medical patients gain access to cannabis without leading to recreational cannabis use in the state.

Gov. Kemp said this would help families in the state not break the law, according to SF Gate. “Instead of crossing state lines, breaking numerous laws in the process, these families can now stay in our great state,” Kemp said. “We are ensuring that these families can purchase what works for their loved ones without creating a slippery slope.”

Medical cannabis has been legal for patients in Georgia since 2015. However, there was no way for patients to legally obtain cannabis oil. Cannabis patients are rejoicing at this new legislation, which legalizes the cultivation and distribution of cannabis. HB-324 allows up to six companies, two large operations and four smaller operations, to obtain a license to grow cannabis and produce oil to sell at licensed dispensaries.

State law currently permits patients with 16 different conditions to obtain a recommendation for medical cannabis. Qualifying conditions include cancer, Parkinson’s disease and seizure disorders.

While families are rejoicing at this new legislation, not everyone in Georgia supported HB-324. The Georgia Sheriff’s Association did not support allowing private cultivators produce cannabis oil, according to the Executive Director of the Georgia Sheriff’s Association, Terry Norris.

“This bill is a decisive step toward recreational marijuana whether our leadership at the state level agrees or not,” Norris said. While Norris said the sheriffs are concerned about low regulation and over-production of cannabis, medical cannabis patients know that this is much-needed legislation that will help patients legally obtain the medicine they so desperately need.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *