Georgia Expands Medical Marijuana Program in 2017
Georgia legalized medical marijuana oil for certain patients on April 16, 2015. Governor Nathan Deal signed House Bill 1 (HB1), also known as Haleigh’s Hope Act, into law. HB 1 effectively permits patients diagnosed with medical conditions that include: cancer; seizure disorders; Crohn’s disease; ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease); multiple sclerosis; mitochondrial disease; Parkinson’s disease; sickle cell anemia; or seizure disorders; to use cannabis oil that contains a maximum of 5% THC (tetrahydrocannabidiol).
HB1 also gives Georgia universities permission to begin research into the effectiveness of CBD oil and other marijuana products in treating seizure disorders in children.
Qualifying Medical Conditions
During March 2017, Georgia Governor, Nathanial Deal, signed into law a measure that expands the state’s medical marijuana program. Senate Bill 16 recognizes six additional health conditions as treatable with a limited form of cannabis oil. The following six conditions are now also considered treatable with medical marijuana oil under Georgia’s law:
- AIDS
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Autism
- Epidermolysis bullosa
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Tourette’s syndrome.
Senate Bill 16 also allows patients in hospice care to possess the oil.
Other Medical Conditions
Georgia has made great strides in expanding the state’s medical marijuana program by recognizing six more medical conditions that can receive treatment through cannabis. Unfortunately, the state still does not allow for the production or distribution of cannabis oil or any marijuana products; however, the state legislature can continue to expand on the program and, hopefully, one day also include the ability for the patient to grow and smoke their own medicine. Until then, patients must look to outside manufacturers to distribute cannabis oil and often must drive across state lines to acquire the oil.
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