After listening to testimony in five public hearings across the state, a joint study committee on low THC medical oil access is recommending in-state cultivation for the growing, manufacturing and dispensing of medical cannabis oils.
Established by House Bill 65 in the 2018 legislative session, the Joint Study Commission on Low THC Medical Oil Access was tasked with examining in-state access to medical cannabis and low THC oil, including the security and control of the process from acquisition and planting of seeds to final destruction of unused portions of the plant; quality control of the manufacturing process; and dispensing the final product. Committee members approved their final recommendations as 2018 came to a close.
According to the report, as of July 2018, there were 5,425 patients and 646 physicians included on the Georgia registry. The number of patients grows by an average 300 per month, and the committee projects that number of patients will grow to approximately 10,000 by the end of the year.
The report also noted that 46 states have some form of medical cannabis law in existence. Of those, 31 allow some form of cultivation within their state — including Florida, which was referenced in the recommendations, along with Minnesota and Iowa. The other 15 states have possession only laws similar to the existing law in Georgia — including Tennessee, Alabama and South Carolina.
Currently, Georgia law allows patients with certain illnesses to possess and use oil that contains cannabidiol and up to 5 percent THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. However, Georgians have no legal way to obtain oil that has over 0.3 percent THC.
The commission recommends the state start with 10 cultivating licenses, 10 manufacturing licenses, and an “adequate number” of dispensing licenses. As the registry grows, the number of licenses can, as well. According to the report, half of the licenses will be granted to larger capital investment entities, and the other half to smaller businesses.
The report recommends that all license holders abide by certain minimum standards including those for security, training of dispensing staff, and training on dosing and proper delivery methods. There would be uniform product labeling requirements and independent lab testing. The Georgia Department of Public Health would oversee testing, as well as manufacturing and dispensing.
To ensure that federal funding for the Georgia Department of Agriculture isn’t affected, the commission recommends the seeds for medical cannabis be exempt from the Georgia Seed Law, and that all use of pesticides be prohibited on medical cannabis plants. The recommendations include granting the Georgia Department of Agriculture authority to stop any grow operation that is found utilizing such substances. The report estimates costs for upgrading equipment and staff for this effort is about $500,000 – which would be covered by application and licensing fees.
The commission’s final recommendation states “that there should be an improved checks and balances process for making any change to the current list of diagnoses if the state should want to avoid the use of marijuana other than just the low THC medical oil allowed under current state law.
The report did not designate who would carry the bill, and if there would be companion bills moving through the House and Senate simultaneously. The committee was co-chaired by State Representative Micah Gravley (R-Douglasville) and State Senator Matt Brass (R-Newnan).
