Georgia Senate Passes Three Marijuana Bills Ahead of Crossover Deadline
The Georgia Senate has approved three marijuana-related bills just before the crossover deadline, which marks the end of the legislative session’s first half. The measures aim to expand access to medical marijuana, regulate the sale of intoxicating cannabinoids, and ban the sale of beverages containing THC.
One bill, sponsored by Sen. Matt Brass, would increase the allowed concentration of cannabidiol in medical cannabis from 5% to 50%, while reducing the amount of medical cannabis one can legally possess from 20 ounces to 2 ounces. The bill would also add cancer and Lupus to the list of qualifying conditions for medical cannabis and allow pharmacies to dispense it to parents and caregivers.
Despite concerns from some Republican lawmakers about the potential health effects of vaping and the potential for abuse, the bill passed with the support of Democrats, 39-17.
Another bill, sponsored by Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick, would add Delta-8, Delta-10, and Delta-11 to the list of intoxicating cannabinoids regulated by the state, and would require random state inspections of consumable hemp products. Kirkpatrick argued that the bill would increase consumer safety by preventing the sale of contaminated products.
The bill passed unanimously, 50-0.
The third bill, which was amended on the Senate floor, would ban the sale of all beverages containing THC. The amendment was added to a bill that originally aimed to limit the amount of THC in consumable hemp products. The bill passed with a majority vote, 42-14.
All three bills will now move to the state House of Representatives, which has until April 4 to act on them.
