CBD In Georgia
2023 Georgia CBD Buyers Guide
When in comes to CBD, Georgia is a perfect example of a state that is trying to do the right thing for its citizens, but, being overly cautious, has tripped itself up when it comes to medical cannabis and hemp-derived CBD oil. With laying the stepping stones for a medical marijuana program and legalized hemp cultivation, the state set in place some stumbling blocks.
While anyone in the state of can legally buy hemp-derived CBD oil, purchasing cannabis-derived oils is a bit tougher.
For more than eight decades, Georgia has had in place highly conservative cannabis laws. Being caught with the slightest amount of marijuana could land you in jail. Not only that, the farming of hemp, marijuana’s non-buzz-inducing cousin, had also been illegal for decades.
In 2015, the state passed a bill that didn’t exactly legalize medical marijuana. Rather it provided patients suffering from a shortlist of medical conditions with a legal defense should they be caught with particular marijuana products.
Cannabis oil only is what the law applied to — no smoking or vaping — and only to oils with under .5 percent THC (the compound that causes intoxication). Under this law, even if you’re a medical marijuana patient, if you were caught with smokable, vapable, or edible cannabis products or cannabis oils with greater than .5 percent THC, you could be prosecuted for possession of marijuana.
Moreover, under the law, CBD oils, even those containing only traces of THC, was just as illegal as marijuana for everyone but card-carrying medical patients. (Interestingly, that didn’t and still doesn’t stop some Georgia retailers from selling CBD oil and other CBD-infused products.)
On top of this, the law made no provision for the production or distribution of this low-THC cannabis oil. In order to obtain their medicine, the state’s medical cannabis patients had to buy it on the black market (and hope that it was below .5 percent THC) or purchase it in another state with legal cannabis and bring across the border. Both of those scenarios are illegal.
So, while trying to decriminalize cannabis oil for its medical patients, what the law essentially achieved was to turn them into criminals.
Georgia CBD FAQ | 2023
Is CBD oil legal in Georgia?
The CBD oil answer here is yes and no. Yes, if you’re a medical marijuana patient and your CBD oil contains under .5 percent THC and more CBD than THC. And, yes if you’re not a patient and your CBD oil contains zero THC. Otherwise, no, it’s not legal.
Medical patients are permitted to possess up to 20 fluid ounces of the low THC cannabis oil. In order to qualify for the medical marijuana program, a patient must be diagnosed with a qualifying medical condition. We list them below.
Can doctors in Georgia prescribe CBD oil?
Medical doctors in Georgia may recommend low-THC CBD oil for qualified patients. Getting certified for medical cannabis in accord with state law can be done online using telemedicine.
Is Delta 8 THC legal in Georgia?
A great example of the mind-bending evolution of the CBD market is a relatively new product called delta-8 THC. This is a cannabinoid that is similar to the familiar buzz-inducing delta-9 THC except that it’s produced directly from hemp CBD rather than from marijuana. Delta-8 is less intoxicating and less likely to cause feelings of paranoia than the THC found in marijuana. Nonetheless, it does have some intoxicating properties.
Because it’s a form of tetrahydrocannabinol that has mild psychotropic effects, Delta-8 falls into a gray area of CBD laws. Several U.S. states don’t seem to be too concerned with D8, some have regulated or banned it and lawmakers in some other states are looking into doing the same.
Most of the states allow the sale of D8 outside of marijuana dispensaries including Nevada, Ohio, Florida, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Massachusetts.
What conditions are being Helped with CBD products?
The most common reasons cited by those who use CBD oil are to reduce pain and anxiety and improve sleep. However, there are scores of medical conditions that are being treated with CBD in Georgia.
Medical conditions being treated with CBD in Georgia include:
- Acne
- ADD & ADHD
- Addiction & Alcoholism
- ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Anorexia
- Antibiotic
- Anxiety
- Arthritis
- Asthma
- Atherosclerosis
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- Autoimmune Diseases
- Bipolar
- Cancer
- Colitis & Crohn’s Disease
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Endocrine Disorders
- Epilepsy & Seizures
- Fibromyalgia
- Hair Loss
- Heart Disease
- HIV & AIDS
- Huntington’s Disease (HD)
- Inflammation
- Insomnia
- Kidney Disease
- Liver Disease
- Migraines
- Mood Disorders
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
- Nausea
- Neurodegeneration
- Obesity
- Osteoporosis/Bone Health
- Pain
- Parkinson’s Disease
- PTSD
- Rheumatism
- Schizophrenia
- Shingles
- Sickle Cell Anemia
- Skin Conditions
- Sleep Disorders
- Stress
- Stroke
- Tourette’s Syndrome
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- Weight Loss
Can I legally buy CBD oil products online in Georgia?
For CBD products that contain zero THC, the answer here is, “yes, but… buyer beware.” Know what you’re purchasing. Furthermore, you should avoid edibles and beverages. Stick with CBD oils, topicals, and other non-edible products and go with a brand that you can trust to promise zero THC. Otherwise, you risk the wrath of the law.
Buying CBD online in Georgia has some real benefits. For starters, you’ll find a much wider selection of brands and products. Furthermore, the most respected brands will provide evidence in the form of lab reports that confirms that the products are THC-free. Lab reports can also confirm that the products are free from toxic contaminants and contain the amount of CBD listed on the label.
What hemp CBD products are available?
Learn more about CBD oil laws in Georgia
- Low-THC Oil Registry Page
- Low THC Oil Forms
- Frequently Asked Questions about Low THC Oil
- VIDEO: Legal or not? A look at ‘confusing’ CBD laws in Georgia
- Atlanta Journal-Constitution – Cops raid vape shop, seize more than 100 pounds of substances
- Atlanta Journal-Constitution – Medical marijuana oil sales signed into Georgia law
- Atlanta Journal-Constitution – Medical marijuana sales made legal in Georgia but obstacles remain
- VIDEO – 11 Alive News – Breaking down Georgia’s tricky marijuana laws