Is recreational cannabis legal in Georgia? Is medicinal marijuana legal in Georgia? What about Georgia’s CBD laws? Find out about the weed laws in Georgia in this article.
Georgia is a state in the south-east of the United States and has a bustling population of over 10 million people. As a matter of fact, Georgia is the 8th most populous state in the US. The entire state stretches from the coastline all the way up to the Appalachian mountains.
Many monumental events happened in the state of Georgia. The start of the civil rights movement, and the gruelling battles of the Civil War. The state’s capital, Atlanta, was the home of civil rights movement leader, Martin Luther King Junior. His old house is located right on Auburn Avenue in Atlanta. Georgia was also a hotspot during the Civil War era with nearly 550 battles transpiring all over the state.
On a lighter note, Georgia is the United States’ top producer of peaches, pecans, and peanuts. After the civil war, peach production skyrocketed as farmers in Georgia were looking for an alternative to cotton. This boom in peach production gave Georgia its nickname, the peach state.
MLK wasn’t the only icon to come out of the peach state. Georgia is also the birthplace of Coca-Cola, the world’s most iconic soft drink.
Now we know that we can find peaches in the peach state, but what about cannabis? Let’s take a dive into Georgia’s laws surrounding cannabis in this article.
Is recreational cannabis legal in Georgia?
In accordance with state laws, recreational weed is illegal in Georgia. Possession, sale, trafficking, and everything in between is against the law in Georgia.
Back in the early 1930s a majority of the United States outlawed marijuana and classified the drug as a scheduled 1 controlled substance. Georgia was one of the states that favored illegalization. As of today, that status remains. Possession of 1 ounce or less will stick you with a misdemeanor crime, up to 1 year in jail, and a $1000 fine. Possession of more than 1 ounce is punishable by a felony charge and 1 to 10 years imprisonment.
Although Georgia remains conservative towards cannabis laws, the state did decide in favor of decriminalization for some major cities back in 2017. In cities like Atlanta, possessing anything less than 1 ounce is punishable by a fine rather than a criminal charge and jail time.
The attitude towards cannabis is starting to see a change in Georgia, however, it still remains illegal. So whilst in the peach state, it may be best to stick to the peaches and peanuts rather than puffing on the peace pipe.
Is medicinal marijuana legal in Georgia?
Georgia’s laws regarding cannabis are on the conservative side, however, medical marijuana is legal in the state.
The state of Georgia recognized marijuana for its medical benefits in 2016 when the state government and legislators passed House Bill 1. House Bill 1 rendered medical marijuana legal, however, the law isn’t as extensive as other states that allow for medicinal marijuana use. The law only allows for possession and use of low THC content cannabis oil. Those who have obtained a medical certificate can access up to 20 ounces of oil, and it can only consist of below 5% THC.
Although medical cannabis oil is legal, gaining access is somewhat of a goose chase. As of today, there are no official dispensaries that stock and sell medical cannabis products in Georgia. Residents of Georgia need to resort to the black market in order to acquire their cannabis oil.
In 2019 Georgia’s state governor, Brian Kemp, signed a bill into law to allow for the cultivation and sale of medical marijuana. Although the sale of medicinal marijuana is legal in Georgia subsequent to the new bill, the development of dispensaries are yet to happen.
One must suffer from debilitating diseases in order to qualify for a medical marijuana certificate in Georgia. These diseases include Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, cancers, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
The medicinal marijuana laws in Georgia are in their infantile stage. After the signing of the previous bills and another election season upon us, medical marijuana laws are destined to improve.
Is CBD Legal In Georgia?
Similar to all 50 states in the US, CBD is legal in Georgia. The Farm Bill of 2018 legalised industrial hemp and hemp-derived CBD in all 50 states. However, Some states were reluctant to take on the bill, Georgia being one of them.
Georgia didn’t recognise the legalisation of CBD until 2019 with the enactment of the Georgia Hemp Farming Act, HB 213. Subsequent to the enactment of HB 213 the CBD trade became legal.
Although CBD is now legal in Georgia, the laws are again on the conservative side. Most states where CBD is legal, allow for it to be in nearly everything. This includes drinks, food, oils, and topicals. Georgia doesn’t allow for CBD to be in anything that resembles a dietary supplement. Therefore, CBD can only be in the form of oils and contain no more than 0.3% THC.
Research has found that CBD is beneficial for a variety of medical ailments. It can treat persons with epilepsy, chronic pain, and much more. You may not be able to cruise into a cafe in Georgia and grab a CBD latte; you’ll have to keep it simple with CBD oil, which will still do the trick.
Important Note: The information on this site has been created only for information about the laws. It is not prepared to promote illegal substances. Please do not use illegal substances. You can get help regarding addiction from a nearest health institution.