Georgia Moves To Expand Medical Cannabis Access Under New Patient-Focused Legislation

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed a piece of legislation into law on Tuesday, expanding access to the state’s medical cannabis program.

Under Senate Bill 220 (SB 220), titled “Putting Georgia’s Patients First Act,” lupus is added as a new qualifying condition for medical cannabis eligibility, joining conditions such as cancer, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, ALS, autism spectrum disorder, and intractable pain.

The bill from Senator Matt Brass boosts the base of patients by removing “severe or end-stage” requirements for many existing qualifying conditions, reported Hemp Gazette.

Furthermore, it expands regulatory oversight under the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission to include public education and awareness campaigns.

The new legislation also changes the state’s THC limit from a 5% potency cap to a possession-based limit of 12,000 mg of THC per patient.

It also allows patients aged 21 and older to legally use vaping products for medical cannabis consumption. However, smoking cannabis is still off limits under Georgia law.

The bill also does not legalize adult-use marijuana, and clearly distinguishes medical from recreational use. Gov. Kemp seconded this stance.

“These changes, while meaningful to the affected patients, do not materially alter where Georgia sits in the national landscape on this issue,” he said in his signing statement. “This bill passed with a constitutional majority in both chambers of the General Assembly. I, like many of those who expressed opposition to this bill, have reservations about the legalization of recreational cannabis.”

Florida-based cannabis giant Trulieve Cannabis Corp. (CSE: TRUL) (OTCQX: TCNNF) and Botanical Sciences LLC are the only two state-licensed cannabis producers.

Botanical Sciences is Georgia-based, and it runs a cultivation and production facility supplying low-THC cannabis oil products for the state program. Trulieve has been both producing and selling such products for registered patients in dispensaries statewide.

TCNNF Price Action

Trulieve’s shares traded 2.53% lower at $8.10 per share at the time of writing on Thursday.