Georgia medical marijuana licenses finally awarded; growing to begin

A final vote awarded Georgia medical marijuana production licenses to two companies Wednesday, a major step toward ending a seven-year delay that left registered patients with no way to legally buy the drug that they’re allowed to consume.

The Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission unanimously approved licenses for Botanical Sciences LLC and Trulieve Georgia Inc., each of which will be authorized to grow, manufacture and sell marijuana oil, which can have no more than 5% THC, the compound that gives users a high.

State law requires the companies to begin production within a year, breaking an impasse for 24,400 patients since Georgia authorized medical marijuana in 2015. Patients who receive a doctor’s approval are allowed to use the medicine to treat illnesses including severe seizures, Parkinson’s disease and terminal cancers.

“It’s good news to our certified patients in Georgia, and we look forward to ensuring that the product comes to market as quickly and as safely as possible,” said Sid Johnson, the commission’s chairman.

The commission originally intended to award six production licenses last year, but contracts were never finalized because of protests filed by 15 losing companies out of the 69 that had applied. [Read More @ The Atlanta Journal Constitution]