Health authorities in Georgia have made steps to significantly broaden the reach of medical cannabis treatments for registered patients within the state.
The state’s Board of Pharmacy “has implemented a new set of rules enabling independent pharmacies in Georgia to provide cannabis oil to qualifying patients who are part of a registry overseen by the state Department of Public Health,” as per Northwest Georgia News.
As reported by the news source, state regulators have “so far issued manufacturing licenses to two firms.”
“Both Trulieve Georgia and Botanical Sciences LLC have commenced production of cannabis oil and have established dispensaries in Marietta and Macon, with additional ones planned,” the report states. “Alongside these dispensaries, the 2019 law also permits independent pharmacies to supply cannabis oil to qualified patients.”
“This effectively makes it possible for nearly every community to have access,” stated Andrew Turnage, the executive director of the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission, which is in charge of the medical cannabis program, as cited by Northwest Georgia News.
“They have laid out a process for independent pharmacies to apply, and these pharmacies will be subject to inspection and regulation for this medication,” he further explained.
Georgia lawmakers initially legalized medical cannabis treatment with the approval of Haleigh’s Hope Act in 2015, which allowed qualified patients to obtain low-THC cannabis oil.
The state General Assembly later enacted “Georgia’s Hope Act” in 2019, “which empowers the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission to manage the regulated licensing of limited, in-state cultivation, production, manufacturing, and sale of low-THC oil as well as dispensing to registered patients on the state’s Low-THC Oil Registry,” as indicated by the official website of the state’s Access to Medical Cannabis Commission.
Following the bill’s endorsement by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp that spring, the commission was “administratively joined to the Office of the Georgia Secretary of State for support regarding budget, procurement, and human resources,” as stated by the government website.
As outlined on the website, patients suffering from the following conditions can obtain cannabis oil prescriptions: “Cancer at the end stage or treatment-related wasting illness or resistant nausea and vomiting; Severe or end-stage Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Epilepsy or trauma-related head injury-induced seizure disorders; Severe or end-stage Multiple sclerosis; Crohn’s disease; Mitochondrial disease; Severe or end-stage Parkinson’s disease; Severe or end-stage Sickle cell disease; Severe Tourette’s syndrome; Autism spectrum disorder in adults, or in severe cases in children below 18 years; Epidermolysis bullosa; Severe or end-stage Alzheimer’s disease; Severe or end-stage AIDS; Severe or end-stage Peripheral neuropathy; Inpatient or outpatient hospice program participants; Intractable pain; Post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from direct exposure to or witnessing of a trauma for a patient who is at least 18 years of age.”
However, it wasn’t until earlier this year that the state’s numerous qualifying patients could actually obtain the cannabis oil, when the first pair of medical cannabis dispensaries began operating last month.
Both of these dispensaries are managed by Trulieve, a medical cannabis firm, and are situated in the cities of Macon and Marietta.
“At Trulieve, we are convinced that access to medical cannabis enhances lives, and we are honored to be the first to bring this access to Georgia,” commented Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers in a press statement at the time of the opening. “We are committed to supplying superior quality products and an unrivaled experience.”
CHECK THIS OUT: Trulieve Launches Georgia’s Medical Marijuana Dispensaries
