Georgia’s medical cannabis program now has 44,889 active patients as of August 5, an increase of approximately 32% since the beginning of June, according to data provided by the state’s Department of Public Health.
The state had roughly 34,000 active patients on June 1, meaning enrollment has grown by nearly 10,900 patients in just over two months, according to new data provided by the state. Growth had been relatively slow before June, with enrollment increasing from approximately 32,000 patients at the beginning of the year to 34,000 over the following five months.
The latest count is also up by 8,186 patients from the 36,703 enrolled at the end of June, an increase of approximately 22%.
Enrollment has continued to rise rapidly since a major expansion of the program took effect July 1. On July 23, the Georgia Department of Public Health reported more than 41,500 active patients, meaning approximately 3,400 additional patients have registered since then.
The growth followed the implementation of Senate Bill 220, known as the Putting Georgia’s Patients First Act. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed the measure into law earlier this year, with most of its provisions taking effect July 1.
The law renamed the state’s low-THC oil program as the medical cannabis program, revised its list of qualifying conditions and expanded the forms of cannabis available to registered patients.
Under the previous law, several qualifying conditions, including cancer, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease, generally had to be classified as severe or end-stage. The new law removes some of those severity requirements, allowing additional patients to qualify.
The expansion also allows registered patients who are at least 21 years old to use certain vaporized medical cannabis products. Before July 1, the program was largely restricted to cannabis oils and other products containing no more than 5% THC.
Georgia first authorized possession of low-THC cannabis oil for registered patients in 2015, but legal in-state sales did not begin until April 2023. Products are available through dispensaries licensed by the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission and participating independent pharmacies.
Patients and caregivers must receive certification from an authorized physician and register with the Department of Public Health before purchasing medical cannabis.
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