The great state of Georgia has expanded its medical marijuana program.
Effective July 1, 2017 – more patients are able to access the state’s medical marijuana program. Senate Bill 16 expanded access by adding several new medical conditions to those deemed eligible to receive a Georgia state marijuana registration card.
New Qualifying Medical Conditions | Autism, AIDs, Alzheimer’s and more
Severe autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children, ASD in adults, late-stage Alzheimer’s disease, and AIDs are all now eligible medical conditions to posses low-THC medical marijuana in Georgia. Also added as eligible conditions were epidermolysis bullosa – a severe skin disease, severe peripheral neuropathy and Tourette’s syndrome.
Existing Qualifying Medical Conditions
In order to obtain low-THC medical marijuana oil in Georgia, you must have a doctor’s recommendation and paperwork filled out with the state department of health.
Multiple Sclerosis | Crohn’s Disease | Mitochondrial Disease |
Seizure disorders | Cancer | ALS |
Parkinson’s | Sickle cell | Call your congressman, ask for expanded access! |
Is Chronic Pain on the list? Fibromyalgia?
Chronic pain and fibromyalgia are not yet covered medical conditions for a state-sanctioned medical marijuana card in Georgia. While peripheral neuropathy was recently added as a qualifying condition, chronic pain – a principle contributor to the opioid crisis in America, remains ineligible for medical marijuana in Georgia’s newly ‘expanded’ medical marijuana program.
High-CBD | low-THC medical marijuana is also widely used to treat PTSD, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder, as well as endometriosis and arthritis.
The Catch
Despite having a ‘medical marijuana’ program in Georgia, the sale of any form of marijuana remains illegal and a violation of both federal and state laws. Georgia state law does NOT allow for the possession or sale of marijuana in the flower form; nor does it allow for the sale of products made from marijuana (i.e. edibles)!
Obtaining a Georgia medical marijuana card entitles one to possess up to 20 fluid ounces of low-THC cannabis oil. Low-THC cannabis oil is non-psychoactive (good) and generally rich in cannabidiol (CBD) – also good.
With the flower form of high-THC marijuana prohibited, ‘Georgia must otherwise facilitate the production and sale of the high-CBD oil, right?‘
Unfortunately, this is not correct. There is no mention in Georgia law – as to how cannabis oil can be legally harvested, processed or distributed.
This leaves a huge gap for those in need of medical marijuana.
Clearly there is work to be done to enable fair access to safe medical marijuana for the residents of Georgia. Senate Bill 16 is a very small step in that direction, but does not go far enough.
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