The Florida-based behemoth is now authorized to sell non-smokable, low-THC cannabis to nearly 28,000 patients.
Trulieve Cannabis Corporation, a Tallahassee-based multi-state operator, has made history by launching the first medical marijuana dispensaries in Georgia – located in Macon and Marietta. These grand openings, scheduled for Friday at 9:30 a.m. ET, represent a major step forward for the state’s gradually developing medical marijuana sector.
The inauguration festivities feature a celebratory atmosphere, complete with a customary ribbon-cutting event, food trucks, and a merchandise giveaway, as revealed in a press release on Thursday.
“Today marks a fresh start for the over 27,000 registered medical patients in Georgia,” CEO Kim Rivers stated on Friday. “Trulieve is both excited and honored to establish the first two medical cannabis dispensaries in the state, supporting both Macon and Marietta communities on their path to health and wellness.”
The announcement of these two dispensaries follows Georgia regulators’ issuance of the state’s inaugural retail licenses on Wednesday to Trulieve and Botanical Sciences, the sole vertically integrated operators in the market. This authorization permits each company to open six dispensaries.
The Florida-based enterprise intends to broaden its presence in Georgia by opening three more dispensaries this year, with Columbus, Newnan, and Pooler as their upcoming locations.
8 Years in Development
Although medical cannabis possession was legalized in Georgia in 2015, patients have only recently been able to legally purchase it. The commission, formed in 2019, now oversees low-THC oil production in the state.
Legal obstacles and technical issues have hindered the program, leading lawmakers to suggest revamping the system. In the most recent session, a bill proposing the commission’s dissolution and transferring the program to the Georgia Department of Agriculture was introduced but did not pass. The commission continues to manage the program.
Newly disclosed patient registration data from the commission responsible for Georgia’s medical cannabis program highlights the state’s progress.
As per the March data, four Atlanta counties – including two where Trulieve’s new dispensaries are situated – have between 1,000 and 3,000 registered patients each. Only two of Georgia’s 159 counties have no registered patients.
These numbers are anticipated to grow as the program broadens and becomes more commercialized. The state’s cannabis commission expects the number of registered patients to increase from 27,000 to around 100,000 within the next 12 to 18 months.
However, nothing is ever certain in the South.
Patients must have a qualifying condition, such as severe ALS, autism, multiple sclerosis, or Parkinson’s disease, verified by a physician to be eligible for the registry.
Georgia’s medical cannabis program permits only six companies to produce non-smokable, low-THC marijuana with a concentration of 5% or less. Among these, Botanical Sciences and Trulieve can produce in 100,000-square-foot facilities, while the remaining four are restricted to 50,000 square feet. The two received Class 1 production licenses in September.
All operators must be functional within 120 days of license approval. This stipulation presents a substantially shorter timeframe compared to other states, such as New York.
