Medical marijuana laws are different in each state for those states that have legalized the use of this product. If you’re a resident of Georgia, it is important to understand the laws surrounding Georgia marijuana.

You will also want to know what conditions can qualify, as well as how to get that Georgia medical marijuanas card in your hand so that you can start reaping the rewards of this unique, but effective, treatment option.

Does Georgia Have Medical Marijuana?

Georgia has a unique medical marijuana allowance known as the low THC oil law, which states that possessing certain low-THC oils or CBD oils is legal for qualifying patients. Unfortunately, the law does not mention how the patients shall obtain their oils, as cultivation is still illegal in Georgia.

Because of the unique nature of this law, it’s important to learn the details before you attempt to apply and get certified. For starters, you’ll have to have your own source for getting the oils (we’re assuming it’s a “don’t ask, don’t tell” situation with the GA government) because it’s not like there are dispensaries in the state as with other states that have legalized medical and/or recreational marijuana.

How to Get Medical Marijuana in Georgia

There are three different categories of people who can qualify for a card in Georgia:

• An adult with one or more of the conditions specified
• A legal guardian of an adult with one or more of the conditions
• Parents or legal guardians of minor children who have one or more conditions

According to the law, the following diseases and conditions are cause for a patient to be eligible to get a card in Georgia:

• Cancer
• ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Seizure disorders related to head injuries or epilepsy
• Crohn’s disease
• Mitochondrial disease
• Sickle cell disease
• Parkinson’s 
• Autism spectrum disorder
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• AIDS
• Epidermis bullosa
• Tourette’s Syndrome
• Peripheral Neuropathy
• Hospice patients
• Chronic pain
• PTSD

Furthermore, there are stipulations on some of these conditions, such as that they must be severe or end-stage conditions, or in some cases, patients must be over 18 to qualify, such as in the instance of PTSD.

Georgia Marijuana Laws

Under Georgia medical marijuanas laws, qualified persons are legally allowed to possess up to 20 fluid ounces of marijuana-derived “low-THC oil.” The law authorizes the issuance of a Low THC Oil Registry Card to qualifying patients by the Georgia Department of Public Health.

This law does not legalize the sale or possession of plant-form marijuana and it doesn’t legalize vaporization or the production of “edibles” or food products infused with THC and/or CBD oils. It also doesn’t authorize doctors to prescribe this as a medical treatment.

All it does is protect anyone with a card from being prosecuted if they happen to be found in possession of low-THC oil.

GA Medical Marijuanas License

You will need to see a physician who can apply for the low THC registry card on your behalf. Then, they will send in the recommendation electronically. If the state approves your application, the Department of Public Health will issue a card and allow you to pick it up at one of the state’s 20 public health offices.

How to Apply for a Medical Marijuanas Card in Georgia

To apply for a card that approves you for the low THC registry in Georgia, you will need to do the following: 

• Visit a physician who can make a recommendation
• Sign a waiver that your certified physican also signed
• Have the physician fill out the Certification Form
• Electronically submit the forms to the DPH
• Wait for notification that the state has approved your card
• Pick up your medical card at the closest local DPH office

This card is only valid for two years from the date of issue and you will have to pay for it. You should also expect to allow about 15 business days for the processing of information and printing of your card. If you lose the card, you will have to contact the Office of Vital Records and obtain a replacement card.

Cost of a Medical Marijuana Card in GA

The cost of a Georgia medical marijuana card is $25. You’ll pay this when you pick up your card in person. Unfortunately, you cannot make the payment online or mail it in ahead of time.

You must bring payment with you to the DPH office when you pick up your printed card. It is also important to note that you’ll have to pay another $25 for card renewals or if you lose your card and need a replacement.

The cost of medical cannabis card authorization in this state is quite low compared to many others. You can visit the Department of Health website to find out things like, “where to get a medical marijuanas card near me.”

Dispensaries in Georgia

At the time of this writing, there are no legally operating dispensaries in the state of Georgia. Since the law did not legalize the production and/or sale of marijuana in any form, dispensaries are not readily available. Patients with a medical card Georgia Department of Health are left to their own devices to figure out how to obtain the oil in the first place.

This leaves a lot of gray area in the law, but those with cards can rest assured that no matter how they obtain their low THC oil, they will not be legally prosecuted. Bear in mind that if law enforcement catches you buying marijuana, they may hold you accountable. This is still illegal, so be careful about how and where you shop.

Can I Order Weed Online in Georgia?

Currently, you cannot legally purchase weed online in the state of Georgia. Since the state has not legalized the purchase, sale, or cultivation of cannabis, buying options are limited.

Bear in mind that if you’re caught buying or possessing marijuana in high-concentration oils or the flower form, it is still illegal and you will be held accountable. It may result in a revocation of the low THC oil card if you have one, as well. It is best to figure out where you can legally buy the approved low THC oil for your needs if you are a resident of Georgia.

If you aren’t satisfied with the medical marijuana laws in the state and think it could improve your health and wellbeing, you may want to consider relocating. Various nearby states have legalized MMJ fully. This may be better for you instead of waiting and hoping Georgia eventually changes its mind.

Medical Marijuana Reciprocity Georgia

In Georgia, the state is still very much against the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes, or at all for that matter. As such, the state does not recognize MMJ licenses from other states nor do they permit these cardholders to possess any form of marijuana.

If you have a medical marijuana card from another state, GA weed laws do not protect you. Recreational cannabis is not legal in Georgia.

It does not matter what state a person is from or what type of MMJ recommendation or license they have. Georgia considers anything besides their own low THC oil card to be illegal. And, since marijuana is also still illegal at the federal level, there is no room for any leeway here.

Growing Medical Marijuanas

It is a violation of federal and state law for unauthorized persons to sell, manufacture, or grow marijuana within the state.

The exception is the limited number of licenses that the state will give to the companies that can create and dispense the low THC oil. It is still nearly impossible to find dispensaries in Georgia, though, and since Georgia laws on weed are so strict, it’s not likely that things will change anytime soon.

To be clear, it is illegal to possess, purchase, or grow marijuana for any intent within the state of Georgia. That means you cannot grow your own and the locations that are allowed to grow will be limited and monitored by the state.

Anyone caught growing or otherwise producing marijuana or marijuana products will be held accountable by federal and state laws and charged with the appropriate crimes.

If a low THC oil registry card doesn’t sound like the solution that you’d hoped for, you’ll, unfortunately, have to keep waiting until Georgia changes its stance. The marijuana legalization process is ongoing, but it is also an uphill battle in this state.

If you think you could benefit from the low THC oil method of treatment, visit the department of health to find out how to get started on your own registration.