Georgia’s medical cannabis program allows patients to access cannabis oil with up to 5% THC. Despite misconceptions, these products are highly effective, offering relief through gummies, lozenges, nasal sprays, tinctures, and topicals. However, participation in the program remains shockingly low.
Out of the hundreds of thousands of Georgians who likely qualify for medical cannabis, only around 25,000 are enrolled. This disparity is driven by several key barriers, including a lack of public education, restrictive advertising laws, limited product availability, and bureaucratic inefficiencies.
One of the most significant challenges is product access. Unlike other states with medical cannabis programs, Georgia does not allow smokable products such as vapes or flower. Many patients who rely on the immediate relief that inhalation provides find that Georgia’s available products do not meet their needs, leading them to turn to the unregulated hemp market or illicit sources.
Additionally, the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) has failed to adequately support the program. The passage of SB 495 was meant to make it easier for patients to receive medical cannabis cards by allowing them to be mailed and emailed. However, DPH’s slow implementation and overly complicated mail-in process have only created additional obstacles for those in need.
To truly support medical cannabis patients in Georgia, the state must remove these barriers. Expanding product offerings, improving the application process, and increasing public awareness would allow more people to benefit from this program.
