Georgia Approves Three More Dispensaries for Medical Cannabis Program

ATLANTA — Georgia’s Access to Medical Cannabis Commission (GMCC) has given the nod to three additional dispensary locations, augmenting the availability of low-THC oil products for patients across the state.

During the public meeting on August 23, members of the GMCC unanimously approved these new locations. One of the giants in the cannabis industry, Florida-based Trulieve, secured its fifth retail license in Georgia for a store located in Evans, near Augusta. This is in addition to its active dispensaries in Macon, Marietta, Newnan, and Pooler.

Additionally, Botanical Sciences, celebrated as Georgia’s premier physician-owned medical cannabis supplier, acquired licenses for two more retail locations in Chamblee and Stockbridge, both within the Metro Atlanta zone. Of its existing licenses in Marietta and Pooler, only the latter is operational.

Competition between Trulieve and Botanical Sciences is intense in Pooler, situated near Savannah, with their dispensaries barely half a mile apart.

Remarkably, all nine sanctioned dispensaries in Georgia are managed by these two companies. Both possess Class I production licenses, which the GMCC granted in September 2022. Another player in the scene, SJ Labs and Analytics LLC, is permitted to run an independent testing laboratory.

GMCC’s Executive Director, Andrew Turnage, highlighted the benefits of the program at the meeting, stating, “Thousands of registered patients have now found relief from the low-THC oil and products made by the commission’s production licensees.” He also hinted at more dispensaries opening next month, emphasizing their role in providing certified and safely manufactured products.

Since the 2015 Haleigh’s Hope Act, Georgia’s journey to opening five dispensaries in 2023 (with another four anticipated soon) has been slow yet steady. This legislation was inspired by Haleigh Cox, a child diagnosed with severe epilepsy and cerebral palsy. The pivotal move from pharmaceuticals to cannabis oil made a marked difference in her condition.

Currently, the Georgian legal framework permits patients with specific medical conditions to buy up to 20 fluid ounces of cannabis oils with a THC content below 5%. These oils can be used orally or topically. The 2019 Georgia’s Hope Act was pivotal, as it provided a system for patients to access the previously legalized possession of low-THC oil.

In terms of licenses, the GMCC can initially grant up to five dispensary licenses for each production licensee. Presently, Trulieve and Botanical Sciences are the sole recipients. However, the provision for a sixth license comes into play once the patient registry crosses 25,000, with subsequent licenses issued for every additional 10,000 patients.

With Trulieve announcing a forthcoming sixth dispensary in Columbus, Ga., it is evident that the state’s patient registry threshold has been achieved.

Despite the authority to issue six production licenses, controversies and legal impediments have marred the process. Protests from unsuccessful applicants and consequent court orders delayed the commercial sales kick-off until April 2023. As of now, the remaining four licenses for vertically integrated operators remain in limbo.