Georgia lawmakers and medical cannabis advocates gathered at Mercer University in Macon to explore broadening the state's decade-old medical cannabis program. The meeting focused on a study committee's work to evaluate access for more patients amid calls for stronger products. With over 33,000 approved patients but only three production facilities statewide, participants highlighted gaps in the current low-THC oil framework.
Decade of Limited Access
Georgia legalized medical cannabis in 2015, restricting it to low-THC oil that patients access through more than 10 dispensaries. Production remains confined to three facilities, including Fine Fettle in Macon. Representative Mark Newton emphasized caution, stating the committee needs time for in-depth study before policy changes: "We need time to study more in depth before we make policy or before we rush some policy to Georgia. We've had medical cannabis legal in Georgia since 2015 so we want to make sure we're careful in the way we allow that."
Benefits and Barriers for Patients
Representative Robert Dickey pointed to proven benefits for those in need while noting slow progress. Limited medical research, stemming from federal restrictions on cannabis, has slowed evidence-based expansion. Dickey remarked: "Very little medical work has been done on it due to it being illegal prior so I just think its got a lot of opportunity to help some patients and we're just trying to facilitate that."
Push for Higher THC and National Parity
Fine Fettle President Judson Hill urged lawmakers to raise THC limits, arguing Georgia lags behind 40 states with fuller medical programs. The current low-THC oil fails to meet patient needs for effective dosing and product variety. Hill said: "They don't really have access needed where 40 states across the country already have medical cannabis now and our program is still a low THC oil program that doesn't offer the products and the strength that the patients of Georgia needs."
Path Forward Amid Caution
The study committee's deliberate approach balances patient demands with policy risks, potentially reshaping access in a state where production capacity constrains supply. Expansion could align Georgia with national trends, where medical cannabis addresses chronic conditions through varied formulations. Yet federal barriers continue to limit research, underscoring the need for measured state-level reforms.
