GA expands, updates medical marijuana laws. Here’s what’s new

Gov. Brian Kemp signed the Putting Georgia’s Patients First Act, which will significantly loosen restrictions around cannabis law, rewriting the rules across three major areas. This bill overhauls Georgia’s highly restrictive program, and is the biggest and most impactful update to medical cannabis law in more than a decade, says Cannabis Business Times.

The changes will make cannabis treatment available to more patients. Lupus patients now qualify as well as individuals in late-stage cancer, Parkinson’s, MS and ALS.

What the law changes

The law rewrites rules about who qualifies, what products are allowed, and how much patients can possess.

New qualifying conditions:

• Lupus has been added to the list of eligible conditions.
• Removes “severe” or “end stage” requirements for patients to enter the program
• “Intractable pain” is highlighted
• Widens access for autism, stage 3 HIV, severe Alzheimer'’ disease and inflammatory bowel disease
• The entire list can be accessed at Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission

Products allowed:

• Patients 21 and older may now vaporize medical cannabis
• Vape products are allowed
• Cannabis flower may be used for vaporization at home.
• Smoking remains prohibited

New possession limit:

• The new cap is a cumulative possession of 12,000 milligrams of THC, replacing the former 5% THC potency cap.
• “Low THC oil” has been renamed as “medical cannabis” in the legal code
• It is now excluded from the state’s Controlled Substances Act

What stays the same

Expanded access does not mean open access, and recreational marijuana use is still prohibited.

Key qualifications remain:

• Existing registered patients retain valid participation
• Public use is prohibited
• Use of any heating element or electronic device in public spaces is not permitted
• A required physician certification and registration with the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission
• Production facilities must maintain a minimum distance of 3,000 feet from any school or church

The benefits of Putting Georgia’s Patients First Act

Georgia’s new cannabis expansion is a good thing for patients because it removes some of the tight regulations that made it too restrictive for a lot of patients.

Benefits to patients:

• It removes barriers for certain conditions, qualifying patients who were previously shut out
• Faster and more efficient relief for symptoms with the expansion of delivery methods like vaping
• Gives doctors and patients more flexibility in how it is dosed
• Aligns more closely with how patients actually use medical cannabis in other states

How to get or update your medical cannabis card

Registration itself hasn’t changed much, and your doctor still is largely in charge of the process.

The process:

• See a Georgia-licensed physician to confirm you have a qualifying condition
• Submission of a certification form and waiver to the Georgia Department of Public Health’s registry portal by your doctor
• Pay the standard fee for vital records, $30. These are valid for two years
• Out-of-state registry cardholders may legally possess medical cannabis in Georgia for up to 45 days

The main criticism is that Georgia’s expansion may go too far on potency and product access, even if it’s still framed as medical-only. However, its proponents say the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.