Georgia will be the first state with medical marijuana in pharmacies

The expansion of medical marijuana into pharmacies is a significant development that will greatly improve access to low THC oil for many patients in Georgia. 

Pharmacies are widely recognized as trusted providers of healthcare services, and their involvement in dispensing medical marijuana will help destigmatize this new form of medicine. 

Pharmacists say that patients may feel more comfortable seeking information and asking questions about medical marijuana when they can do so now in a familiar pharmacy setting.

In Georgia, medical marijuana is currently available only to individuals with approval from a physician, specifically for the treatment of severe illnesses such as seizures, terminal cancers, Parkinson’s disease, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Currently, there are seven dispensaries that have opened since April, but this expansion to local pharmacy’s means that approximately 90% of the state’s population will be within a 30-minute drive of a pharmacy selling medical marijuana.

Low THC oil, which can have no more than 5% THC (the compound responsible for the “high” associated with marijuana), will be available at pharmacies to registered patients who present a state-issued low THC oil registry card and identification. The drug will be securely stored alongside prescription medications, ensuring it’s safe and responsible use.

Patients will have to wait a few weeks before medical marijuana products become available in pharmacies, as applications and inspections will be required before final approval is granted by the relevant authorities.

This development is seen as a long-awaited opportunity for pharmacists to directly assist patients in need of medical marijuana therapies. Gary Long, CEO of Botanical Sciences, highlighted that pharmacists have been fielding questions from patients for years without the ability to provide solutions. Now, with the inclusion of medical marijuana in pharmacies, they can not only offer advice but also supply the therapies patients have been seeking.

Andrew Turnage, executive director for the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission, emphasized the significance of this change, stating that it benefits both licensees and, most importantly, patients.

This expansion is expected to make access to medical marijuana available in virtually every county in the state, a substantial improvement in accessibility

In 2019, the Georgia General Assembly approved the distribution of low THC oil as part of a state law. However, the implementation of this law has been a lengthy process, involving the development of regulations for safety, inspections, licensing, and distribution. It has taken several years to navigate the complex government processes required to establish the framework for the legal distribution of low THC oil in the state.