Columbia County Cannabis – Is It Legal & Where To Buy 2025

Is Cannabis Cultivation Legal in Columbia County?

Yes, cannabis cultivation for medical use of low THC oil is allowed in Columbia County. The State of Georgia prohibits the use of recreational marijuana in the state. Georgia’s Hope Act catalyzed the allowance of medical marijuana for patients diagnosed with qualifying medical conditions. Although medical marijuana is allowed, the law did not legalize the growth, sale, or possession of marijuana in plant or leaf form; nor did it authorize the production, sale, or ingestion of food products that contain low THC oil. The law merely intended to protect qualifying patients with an active Low THC Oil Registry ID from criminal prosecution when possessing the prescribed amount of low THC oil.

What was allowed by the Act was the cultivation and harvesting of cannabis for the production of low THC oil. The Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission (GMCC) issues either a Class 1 production license or a Class 2 production license to business entities to produce and manufacture low THC oil and products. Production licensees shall have an indoor cultivation space that makes regulated cannabis equipped with locks and other security devices.

Class 1 production licensees may grow cannabis in producing low THC oil in indoor facilities limited to 100,000 square feet of cultivation space. They are required to show proof that they have $2 million in cash reserves to invest in operations in the state. Concurrent with their application, they shall submit a nonrefundable application fee of $25,000. Meanwhile, Class 2 production licensees shall cultivate cannabis to produce low THC oil in indoor facilities limited to 50,000 square feet. Its available cash reserves must amount to $1.25 million, and its nonrefundable application fee is $5,000.

Both licensees shall comply with all production laws, standards, and regulations set forth to ensure product purity and protect public safety. Only organic pesticides certified by the Organic Materials Review Institute or any similar standards organization may be used to produce low THC oil.

Is Cannabis Manufacturing Legal in Columbia County?

Yes. Chapter 351-4 of the GMCC Rules contains the rules and regulations for producing low THC oil in Georgia. Class 1 and Class 2 production licensees shall only use ingredients approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in manufacturing cannabis. They must store regulated cannabis in a locked and secured room that restricts access from unauthorized persons.

It is imperative that the licensee shall follow standard operating procedures for quality control and assurance in the production of cannabis products. The system includes an assessment of the active ingredients used, the presence of inactive ingredients and contaminants, and the recommended shelf life of the cannabis product. Before transferring any cannabis product to another cannabis entity, the manufacturer must ensure that the products have passed all the required quality control testing for safety, purity, and integrity with an independent laboratory.

The production licensee shall also be responsible for adequately labeling and packaging the cannabis product, which must be protected from contamination or exposure to toxic or harmful substances. The packaging must be opaque, tamper-evident, and child-resistant.

Is Cannabis Retail Legal in Columbia County?

Yes. Only dispensaries licensed by the GMCC or the Georgia Board of Pharmacy (GBP) may sell low THC oil to qualifying patients in Georgia. The consumer must present an active Low THC Oil Patient Registry Card to purchase a maximum amount of 20 fluid ounces or less of low-THC oil at a dispensary. The pharmacist at the dispensary shall verify that the patient is registered in the Low THC Oil Patient Registry, the drug monitoring program, before dispensing low THC oil or cannabis products to the patient.

Not all types of marijuana are legal in the state. Possession of any other form of marijuana not allowed by law remains a state or federal law violation. The permitted forms of cannabis in Georgia are low THC oil delivered through tinctures, oils, lotions, transdermal patches, and capsules, but does not include any food products infused with low THC oil, such as candies, cookies, or edibles.

A dispensary shall not distribute any damaged or tampered cannabis products. They are not allowed to provide free samples of cannabis products to any person. Employees or agents must conform to hygienic practices in handling cannabis products to prevent contamination. Cannabis products sold at the dispensary must not be administered or consumed on its premises.

Is Cannabis Delivery Legal in Columbia County?

As of June 2023, the state law has not expressly formulated the provisions for delivering low THC oil from licensed dispensaries to qualifying patients. Likewise, the GMCC has not enacted rules and regulations regarding cannabis delivery.

How to Get Medical Marijuana Card in Columbia County

The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) issues Low THC Oil Registry cards to patients eligible to receive medical cannabis, legal guardians of an adult, or parents or legal guardians of a minor. To obtain a registry card, the applicant must follow these steps:

1. Patients or caregivers of patients must consult with their physician if they are eligible to possess 20 fluid ounces of low THC oil.
2. The physician shall determine whether the patient has one or more qualifying medical conditions specified in the law.
3. Once the physician has diagnosed the patient, the former shall enter the patient or caregiver’s information in the Low THC Oil Registry.
4. The physician shall accomplish the following forms:
   • Low THC Oil Waiver
   • DPH Low THC Oil Physician Certification Information

The 18 qualifying medical conditions are:

• Crohn’s disease
• Seizure disorders related to epilepsy or trauma-related head injuries
• Mitochondrial disease
• Autism spectrum disorder in adults
• Severe autism disorder in minors
• Epidermolysis bullosa
• Inpatients or outpatients in a hospice program
• Intractable pain
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adults caused by direct exposure to or witnessing a trauma
• Severe or end-stage diagnosis of:
  • Cancer or when its treatment produces related wasting illness or recalcitrant nausea and vomiting
  • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Sickle cell disease
  • Tourette’s syndrome
  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • AIDS
  • Peripheral neuropathy

Registry cards cost $25 and are valid for two years from the issue date. After the card’s expiration, the patient must again consult with their healthcare physician about their continued eligibility and request the latter to update the patient’s information in the registry. To learn more, you can check the Low THC Oil Registry Guide.

Georgia Low THC Oil Unit

Telephone: (770) 909-2765

E-mail: THCRegistry@dph.ga.gov

***Georgia Department of Public Health ***

Main Telephone: 404-657-2700

2 Peachtree Street, NW

Atlanta, Georgia 30303-3186

How Has Cannabis Legalization Impacted the Economy of Columbia County?

The sale of low THC oil and cannabis products allowed in the state shall be subject to applicable sales and use taxes imposed by the Department of Revenue. The state sales tax on tangible products is 4%, and the local county sales tax in Columbia County is 4%, based on the sales tax rate effective from July 2023 to September 2023.

A financial article estimated that the average excise tax revenue for the sale of cannabis in Georgia could generate up to nearly $200 million if the recreational sale of marijuana is legalized.

The GMCC collects license application fees and administrative fees from cannabis establishments.

The Effects of Cannabis Legalization on Crime Rates in Columbia County

The Haleigh’s Hope Act in 2015 allowed qualifying patients to possess low THC oil but barred cultivation and distribution of medical cannabis. Thereafter, Georgia’s Hope Act in 2019 permitted in-state cultivation and distribution of low THC oil. The sale of low THC oil and products barely started as of June 2023.

Columbia County Sheriff’s Office made 272 driving under the influence (DUI) arrests in 2014, as per the FBI Crime Data Explorer. By 2016 and 2017, DUI arrests decreased to 263 and 193, respectively.

In 2014, the authorities reported 195 arrests for the illegal possession of marijuana in Columbia County. This figure increased to 196 and 233 in 2016 and 2017. Meanwhile, 35 arrests were made for the illegal sale/manufacturing of marijuana in 2014. Finally, in 2016 and 2017, 20 and 30 apprehensions were recorded for the same illegal offense.