Kemp signs bill to expand Georgia’s medical marijuana laws

ATLANTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Some Georgians with chronic pain and illness are rejoicing following Gov. Brian Kemp’s official signature on Senate Bill 220, which expands the state’s medical cannabis program.

The bill adds new qualifying conditions, like Lupus, and allows those with a medical cannabis card to begin legally inhaling the drug via a vape.

Gary Long is the CEO of Botanical Sciences, Georgia’s largest medical marijuana dispensary, with five locations across the state.

He said the vaping provision will make a massive difference to his customers.

“They’re looking for instant relief. This particular form of the product, inhaled, goes straight into the bloodstream and allows for quicker relief for patients,” Long said. “Whether it’s cancer, PTSD, multiple sclerosis, or chronic pain.”

Long’s dispensary serves customers, like 29-year army veteran Doug Maddi, who suffers from both physical and mental pain after a lifetime of combat.

“It (the vape) gets me the relief the fastest, I think,” Maddi. “Being able to get pain relief within a relatively short amount of time is, it’s really helpful for me in my day-in and day-out life.”

The new law also replaces the current 5% THC potency cap with 12,000 milligrams of THC that a patient can possess at any one time.

Michael Mumper, executive director of Georgians for Responsible Marijuana Policy, says he’s concerned with how much product patients will now have access to.

“I mean, 10 milligrams will get someone very high. Forty milligrams is a lot for someone to take every single day. So, 12,000 divided by 40 milligrams is 300 days,” Mumper said.

Mumper notes that vaping is also not FDA-approved.

“Just walk into this knowing I’m about to take a serious medicine, and I better get a lot of information about how much I should take on a daily basis,” Mumper said.

Kemp said that while he supports this bill and recognizes the symptoms that can be quelled by medical marijuana, he does not support legalizing recreational marijuana in Georgia.

The law goes into effect July 1.

In South Carolina, lawmakers continue debating the hemp industry. On both sides of the aisle, they agree the current market is unregulated and problematic, but they remain split on how to fix it.

In recent months, local CBD businesses have pushed back against measures that would restrict the sale of low-THC products to liquor stores only.