Georgia lawmakers who have been searching for a way to jumpstart the state’s stalled medical cannabis program made progress on March 14 when a House committee approved legislation that would allow regulators to redo the licensing process, according to Capitol Beat. House Bill 1425, sponsored by Rep. Bill Werkheiser (R-Glennville), would scrap the current program, as well as the licenses that the state tentatively issued last year, and authorize a new request for proposals (RFP) from companies looking to produce and sell low-THC oil to Georgia’s registered patient base. After years of regulatory limbo that allowed registered patients to legally possess—but not purchase—the oil, which can contain no more than 5% THC under state law, lawmakers approved legislation in 2019 to legalize the production and sale of the oil in the state. RELATED: How Are Georgia’s Medical Marijuana Patients Supposed to Access Cannabis Oil? A new regulatory body, the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission, then licensed six companies in July 2021 to produce and sell the oil to the state’s patients, but 16 unsuccessful applicants challenged the licensing process, which has delayed the rollout of the program.
Cannabis Business Times, 03/15/2022 10:19:00