
by Hunter Dublin | October 11, 2022
The court action that froze the state-issued grow licenses to two companies caused the state's medical cannabis production program to stall again. As a result, even though Georgia has legalized medicinal marijuana, it is still unlawful to purchase it since no one is growing it there.
Last week, one of the state's two new grow licenses was issued to a south Georgia medicinal cannabis company. Tyler Harper, a candidate for agriculture commissioner, posted photos of the event on his Facebook page.
However, due to a court ruling that other businesses that filed for licenses but were turned down without due process, neither it nor another company licensed by the state medical cannabis board is yet able to produce their product.
After years of effort on medicinal cannabis legislation, Micah Gravely (R-Douglasville), departing the general assembly, stated, "We knew it would be a difficult battle and something that would take some time."
To decrease the number of lawsuits, some politicians attempted to increase the number of valuable grow licenses awarded earlier this year.
However, the matter was still open when the legislature broke for the spring.
According to Gravely, the current issue is that businesses that weren't given licenses are halting production by filing legal challenges.
The dispute, according to lawyers for some of those businesses, will ultimately help patients by providing them with more options.
More than 20% of House and Senate members choose not to run for reelection this year. Expect another push for a legislative solution to the legal impasse from the new faces who take their place.
Moving ahead, I believe it will be very tough, said Gravley.
There are more than 50 new lawmakers, and it's unknown how they will vote on the medical marijuana issue, which is strongly supported by Republicans and Democrats but not enough to make the system function.
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