Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (R) has signed legislation into law that will make wide-ranging changes to the state’s medical marijuana program, including new qualifying conditions, longer-lasting patient cards and a major change to how THC limits are handled.
Senate Bill 220, known as the Putting Georgia’s Patients First Act, was approved by the Senate 38 to 14 before the House gave it final approval by a vote of 144 to 21. With Kemp’s signature, the measure is now law.
The law replaces the term “low THC oil” throughout state statute with “medical cannabis,” a shift supporters say better reflects the direction of the program. It also extends patient registry cards to five years, while keeping annual certification in place for most patients.
Patients with incurable or irreversible conditions will no longer need to be certified every year.
SB 220 also expands the list of qualifying conditions to include lupus, severe arthritis and severe insomnia. It revises how certain existing conditions are defined, while allowing patients and caregivers to choose electronic cards, physical cards or both.
Electronic cards may be used immediately for purchases once an eligible application is received, a change designed to reduce delays for patients seeking access.
One of the most notable changes is how the state handles THC limits. Instead of the current 5% cap, the law moves Georgia to a 12,000 milligram limit.
The measure also allows patients who are at least 21 years old to vape medical cannabis, marking a significant shift for a state program that has long barred inhalable products.
With the signing of SB 220, Georgia becomes the 41st medical cannabis state, moving beyond its previous low-THC oil framework and into a broader medical marijuana system.
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