Georgia Medical Marijuana Card

Is Medical Marijuana Legal In Georgia?

Yes, medical cannabis in Georgia is legal. However, the state only allows the possession of low-THC oil of not more than 20 ounces for qualifying patients. The law legalizing the possession of low-THC oil derived from cannabis in the state is Georgia’s Hope Act, passed in 2019, amending the 2015 Haleigh’s Hope Act. Furthermore, an amendment to Georgia’s Hope Act was made in 2021. The amendment expanded the definition of low-THC oil to include tinctures, transdermal patches, lotions, and capsules. However, marijuana edibles are still prohibited. Georgia’s Hope Act allows persons diagnosed with certain conditions to access cannabis oil with low THC content as part of their medication.

How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Georgia in 2024

Qualifying Conditions for Medical Card in Georgia

Only registered low-THC oil patients and caregivers in Georgia in 2024 can obtain cannabis oil as prescribed by Georgia’s Hope Act. The patient or caregiver must have the registration card issued by the department. Persons who are allowed to register for the use of medical marijuana are adult patients with qualifying diseases or legal guardians/parents of minors with qualifying medical conditions. Some of the qualifying diseases are:

• Cancer at the later stages of treatment, producing related wasting illness or recalcitrant nausea and vomiting
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis at the latter stages of treatment
• Seizure caused by epilepsy or trauma-related head injuries
• Severe Tourette’s syndrome
• Multiple sclerosis, when diagnosis is severe or end-stage
• Mitochondrial disease
• Severe Parkinson’s disease
• Severe or terminable sickle cell disease
• Crohn’s disease
• Autism spectrum disorder, in the following scenarios:
  • When the diagnosed patient is 18 years old and above
  • When the diagnosed patient is less than 18 years of age and diagnosed with severe autism
• Epidermolysis bullosa
• Severe Alzheimer’s disease
• AIDS
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Intractable pain
• The patient is in a hospice program, as an inpatient or outpatient
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) resulting from direct exposure to or witnessing a trauma

Can I Apply For A Medical Marijuana Card In Georgia Online?

Their physicians complete patient applications for low-THC oil registry cards in Georgia online. However, physical examinations of patients are typically done in person.

How Do I Register With Georgia Low THC Oil Program?

You can register with the Georgia low-THC oil program by:

• Fulfilling the eligibility requirements: To be eligible, you must be an adult with one or more qualifying conditions, a legal guardian of an adult with a qualifying condition, a parent or legal guardian of a minor child with a qualifying condition
• Visiting a physician to verify your eligibility
• Having the physician include your information in the DPH registry for low-THC oil users
• Paying the registry ID fee
• Obtaining a low-THC oil card

Do I Need To Be A Georgia Resident To Get A Medical Marijuana Card?

There are no strict residency requirements under Georgia low-THC marijuana laws. Provided you have one or more qualifying conditions or are the parent or guardian of an adult or minor with a qualifying condition, you can obtain a low-THC oil card in Georgia.

What Is The Cost Of A Georgia Medical Marijuana Card?

The cost of obtaining a low-THC oil registry card in the state is $25, and this fee is paid at the point of picking up the card. The patient or caregiver may use any payment methods available, including cash, credit or debit card, and any other accepted means of payment at the pick-up point. It costs $25 to renew a Georgia low-THC oil registry card.

What Do You Need When Visiting A Medical Marijuana Dispensary In Georgia?

A patient or caregiver visiting a dispensary to buy low-THC cannabis oil in Georgia must go along with their registry card and valid government ID card for confirmation. It is usual for dispensary officials to check with the registry to confirm the patient's identity and prescription.

Who Can Prescribe Medical Marijuana In Georgia?

Georgia’s Hope Act mandates persons intending to use medical marijuana to be certified as qualifying for medical marijuana treatment by a physician in good standing in the state. The physician will verify that they have the qualifying conditions that necessitate the use of low-THC oil. The physician must be involved in treating a patient for the medical condition before they can issue a certification for them.

After certifying that a patient has a qualifying medical condition, the physician will enter the patient’s details into the online Low THC Oil Registry portal managed by the Georgia Department of Public Health. After that, the patient becomes eligible to obtain a Low THC Oil registry card, enabling them to purchase medical cannabis oil. The DPH does not provide a list of approved certifying physicians as any physician in good standing in the state and with the ability to manage qualifying medical conditions can certify patients.

Can A Minor Get A Medical Marijuana Card In Georgia?

No, under the provisions of the law, a minor may not be able to obtain a low THC oil registry card. The only category of persons who are allowed access to the marijuana card include:

• An adult diagnosed with one of the diseases provided for by Georgia’s Hope Act
• The legal guardians of an adult diagnosed with any of the conditions listed in the law
• The parents or guardians of a minor diagnosed with a qualifying condition

Caregivers, guardians, and parents of minors may obtain low-THC oil registry cards by following the same application processes as adult patients applying for low-THC registry cards.

Can You Get A Medical Marijuana Card At 18 In Georgia?

Yes. While Georgia does not issue low THC oil registry cards to minors but their parents, it regards 18-year olds as adults. Therefore, minors can obtain their cards through their physicians when they turn 18.

How To Renew Your Georgia Medical Marijuana Card

A low-THC oil registry card issued in Georgia is renewable every two years. At the expiration time, the patient or caregiver may renew the card by approaching their physician, who would then confirm their continued need for the treatment and submit the same information to the Georgia DPH. The DPH will then renew the registry card at $25.

Can You Grow Medical Marijuana In Georgia?

In Georgia, home cultivation of marijuana is prohibited, as patients and caregivers are not allowed to grow marijuana for medical purposes at home. Georgia’s Hope Act only permits licensed marijuana growers to cultivate marijuana in the state, and the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission is authorized to issue licenses to marijuana growers.

Does Georgia Allow Medical Marijuana Patients To Designate Caregivers?

Yes, Georgia allows patients to designate caregivers that will help them purchase and use medical marijuana. A caregiver is someone who has been authorized to make purchases on behalf of the patient. A caregiver must obtain the low THC registry card on behalf of their patient, and where they have more than one patient, they may register a card for each patient under them. Caregivers can have as many patients as they can handle and must be state residents to access Georgia’s cannabis oil.

Georgia Medical Marijuana Reciprocity

Per Senate Bill 16, out-of-state patients with medical marijuana cards from their home states are allowed to purchase low-THC oil in Georgia. This provision exists for out-of-state residents who have been present in Georgia for 45 days.

Are My Medical Marijuana Records Private?

Medical marijuana records received and maintained by the Department of Health are confidential and not subject to open record laws. Per HB 324, the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission will not reveal a registered patient's identity or health information or violate the federal HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) of 1996. Hence, employers do not have access to your low-THC registry records. Note that law enforcement may be granted access to specific portions of the records in specific circumstances where mandatorily required.

Does Insurance Cover Medical Marijuana In Georgia?

Since the FDA disapproves THC and remains a federally illegal substance, Medicaid and private insurance do not cover low-THC oil purchases. Hence, you must pay out-of-pocket for your THC oil purchases.

What Is The Medical Card Limit In Georgia?

A Georgia low-THC oil card allows the individual named on the card to purchase and possess up to 20 fluid ounces of low-THC oil.

Can You Go To A Dispensary Without A Medical Card In Georgia?

To purchase low-THC oils from a Georgia low-THC dispensary, you must carry a Georgia-issued low-THC oil registry card or a medical marijuana card issued under the medical marijuana program in another state.