In the USA, the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission has chosen six companies to manufacture low-THC cannabis oil in the state.
Back in 2019, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed House Bill 324 ( “Georgia’s Hope Act”) into law, which authorized the Commission to oversee the regulated licensing of in-state cultivation, production, manufacturing, and sale of low-THC oil.
There are more than 14,000 patients currently registered for Georgia’s quite restrictive medical cannabis program at this stage; and to this point they have not been able to acquire medicines legally.
Hopefully this will change in the not-too-distant future.
On Saturday, the Commission announced its notice of intent to award Botanical Sciences LLC and Trulieve GA Inc with Class 1 Production Licences; and to award FFD GA Holdings LLC, Natures GA LLC, TheraTrue Georgia LLC, and Treevana Remedy Inc. with Class 2 licences.
The difference between the licences is production space capacity. Class 1 licensees have a production space capacity of 100,000 square feet, while the Class 2 licensees have 50,000 square feet production space capacity.
The application process for both Class 1 and Class 2 production licenses opened in late November last year and closed on January 27 this year. Around 70 applications were lodged all told
Georgia’s medical marijuana laws allow for the legal possession of up to 20 fluid ounces of “low THC oil” by registered patients suffering one or more of 17 listed conditions that can be found here – when the oil is sourced from a state approved entity. Preparations will need to contain no more than 5% THC.
“The State of Georgia is deeply opposed to any recreational or nonmedical use of marijuana,” says the Hope Act “and any system to help patients access low THC oil should be as limited in scope as possible.”
It’s still not clear yet when those 14,000+ patients – who have been very patient – will actually be able to get their hands on medicines. The Commission has not yet promulgated rules for “retail” low-THC Dispensing Licenses.
Further information on the state’s medical cannabis program can be found here.
