Georgia Adding More Dispensaries After Medical Cannabis Patient Count Reaches 25k

Georgia medical cannabis operators are opening additional dispensaries after the medical cannabis program’s total patient count recently reached 25,000 patients, the Capitol Beat News Service reports. There are now six medical cannabis cultivators operating 13 dispensary locations in the state.

Georgia first legalized low-potency medical cannabis access in 2015 but lawmakers didn’t pass legislation to license the production and retail of medical cannabis until 2019. Before then, patients were either traveling out-of-state or sourcing their cannabis products from the illicit marketplace.

The Georgia medical cannabis program only allows dispensaries to sell low-potency THC extracts containing no more than 5% THC.

“Patient access continues to be our mission and purpose. Expanding Georgia’s medical cannabis program, especially providing service to patients, is why the commission exists.” — Commission Chairman Sid Johnson, via Capitol Beat News Service

Regulators issued the state’s first five dispensary licenses last April. Per state law, the commission can add additional dispensary licenses for every 10,000 patients.

Commission Executive Director Andrew Turnage said in the report, “We anticipate things are going to pick up in pace quickly from here.”