When it comes to marijuana laws, the state of Georgia has always been on the conservative side. It should come as no surprise then that the limited medical marijuana Georgia program leaves much to be desired.
While the Georgia General Assembly approved the use of low-THC cannabis oil for medicinal purposes in 2015, this law didn’t make the production or sale of cannabis legal. In 2019, legislators signed off on creating a legal, regulated market for medical cannabis products. Thousands have already signed up for the program, but, unfortunately, these qualifying Medical Marijuana Georgia patients still can’t purchase cannabis products in the state. No dispensaries are currently open, and it may take another year or two before patients can purchase their medicine.
Still, if you have a qualifying condition and are seeking legal protection for the possession of low-THC cannabis oil in Georgia, you should still apply for a Low THC Oil Registry Card. This card will make it legal for you to possess up to 20 fluid ounces of low-THC oil containing 5% or less THC. If you’re patient, you may be able to use your card in the future to purchase your medicine from a dispensary.
Quick Guide to Georgia MMJ
There are three basic steps to getting a medical marijuana card in the state of Georgia:
- Check Your Eligibility: Check the list of qualifying conditions for MMJ in Georgia to find out if you qualify for the program.
- Contact a Physician: You’ll need to be examined by a medical doctor who will attest that you have a qualifying medical condition and get a signed waiver form and physician certification form to qualify for a card. Heally can connect you with a licensed physician.
- Complete Your Application and Get Your Card: If you qualify, your physician will electronically submit your information to the Georgia Department of Public Health. All you’ll need to do is wait for your card to be printed.
How to Get a Georgia Medical Marijuana Card in Three Steps
1. Check Your Eligibility
Only three categories of patients can apply for a medical marijuana card in Georgia. Adults who have one or more medical conditions specified in the law; legal guardians of adults who have one or more medical conditions specified in the law; and parents of minors with one or more medical conditions specified in the law can be deemed eligible for an MMJ card.
The list of conditions and diseases that qualify you for a Low THC Oil Registry Card include:
- Intractable pain
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (for patients over 18 years of age, resulting from direct exposure to or witnessing of a trauma)
- Seizure disorders (related to diagnosis of epilepsy or trauma-related head injuries)
- Crohn’s disease
- Autism spectrum disorder (for patients over 18 years of age or for minors diagnosed with severe autism)
- Alzheimer’s disease (severe or end stage only)
- Cancer (during the end stage or when the treatment produces related wasting illness or recalcitrant nausea and vomiting)
- The patient is in a hospice program (inpatient or outpatient)
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (severe or end stage)
- Multiple sclerosis (severe or end stage)
- Mitochondrial disease
- Parkinson’s disease (severe or end stage)
- Sickle cell disease (severe or end stage)
- Tourette’s syndrome (severe only)
- Epidermolysis bullosa
- AIDS (severe or end stage)
- Peripheral neuropathy (severe or end stage)
If you have been diagnosed with one or more of these medical conditions, the next step is to have a qualified physician attest to your diagnosis and sign the proper paperwork for the medical marijuana program.
2. Get a Certification from a Physician
To qualify for a Georgia Medical Marijuana Card, you’ll need to be examined by a medical physician who can attest that you have one or more qualifying medical conditions. The physician will also need to sign a physician certification form and you’ll both need to sign a waiver form. Because Georgia’s limited medical marijuana program doesn’t protect physicians from recommending cannabis products, it can be challenging to find a doctor who is willing to provide a certification.
If your primary care physician doesn’t offer this service, you’ll need to get copies of your medical records and find a doctor who can recommend medical cannabis. Fortunately, Heally makes this easy for you. We connect you with a licensed physician in your state, so you can get through this step quickly and easily. We’ll book you in for a marijuana telehealth appointment with a doctor, so you can get your card without leaving the comfort of your home.
During this telehealth appointment, the doctor will determine whether you could benefit from low-THC oil, fill out the forms, and electronically submit the information to the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH).
3. Complete Your Application and Get Your Card
Finally, the Georgia Department of Public Health will review your application. If it is approved, you’ll receive your Low-THC Oil Registry Card. On top of the doctor’s fee, you’ll pay $25 for this card when you pick it up at one of the state’s Public Health Offices.
You’ll be notified when it’s been printed and is ready for you to pick up. This should take approximately 15 business days. Your card will be valid for 2 years.
