Georgia Medical Marijuana Registry Gets Underway
Georgia’s medical marijuana registry is up and running. That’s according to the state’s Department of Public Health, which is in charge of keeping track of which Georgians can legally possess cannabis oil.
The only way for patients to get entered into the registry is by a doctor. And it’s only for those with one of eight different medical conditions, including epilepsy and Crohn’s disease. State Department of Public Health commissioner Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald unveiled the registry during the first meeting of the Georgia Medical Cannabis Commission. She said once patients are registered it will take about 15 days to get a card from the state, which says they can legally have the oil.
“I quite frankly think it will be shorter than that, but we are saying that because we don’t want to overpromise,” Fitzgerald said.
Those with cards will be able to possess up to 20 fluid ounces of cannabis oil. Georgia’s new law decriminalizes the oil, but those who qualify still have to get it from other states. However, transporting the oil across state lines currently violates federal law.
But the law doesn’t give blanket permission for everyone with the conditions to possess the oil. For instance in the case of cancer, only patients who are dying or whose treatment is causing side effects like nausea and vomiting would be allowed to use it. The law also says those with conditions like Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis and sickle cell disease would have to be near death or have severe symptoms to get the oil.
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