Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp this week signed a bill that expands access to the state’s medical cannabis program, approving new product options and adding conditions that qualify for medical cannabis. The measure, passed by wide margins in both chambers, marks the most significant update to Georgia’s medical cannabis law since the first dispensaries opened in 2023.
The legislation allows registered patients to purchase cannabis products designed for inhalation, including metered‑dose vaporized formulations. It also adds several new qualifying conditions, giving physicians more flexibility to recommend medical cannabis for patients who have struggled to find relief through other treatments.
Kemp Highlights Limited Policy Shift
In a written signing statement quoted by Marijuana Moment, Kemp said the changes are meaningful for patients but do not represent a major shift in the state’s overall approach to cannabis policy.
“These changes, while meaningful to the affected patients, do not materially alter where Georgia sits in the national landscape on this issue,” Kemp said in the signing statement. “This bill passed with a constitutional majority in both chambers of the General Assembly.”
Kemp also addressed concerns raised by opponents who argued that expanding the medical program could open the door to broader legalization.
“I, like many of those who expressed opposition to this bill, have reservations about the legalization of recreational cannabis. Many states that have legalized recreational cannabis have come to regret that decision,” he said. “I also recognize that for some patients, medical cannabis provides significant relief to symptoms that would otherwise go untreated or would be treated with even more harmful opioids.”
The governor added that the bill does not move Georgia toward adult‑use legalization.
“I do not believe that a well‑implemented medical cannabis program must inevitably lead to the legalization of recreational use in Georgia, nor is the question of recreational use anywhere in the bill on my desk for signature,” he said.
Key Changes To Georgia’s Medical Cannabis Program
The new law directs the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission to develop rules for inhalable products and formally shifts the program from a low-THC oil system to a broader medical cannabis framework. The measure removes the previous potency caps that limited products to low-THC oil, giving regulators authority to set standards for medical cannabis formulations through rulemaking rather than a fixed statutory limit. The commission will also oversee licensing for additional dispensaries, a move intended to improve patient access in underserved regions of the state.
Georgia’s medical cannabis market has grown steadily since the first dispensaries opened nearly three years ago, but patient advocates and industry operators have pushed for reforms to address limited product availability and long travel distances for many cardholders. The addition of inhalable products is expected to be one of the most significant changes for patients who need rapid symptom relief.
Industry Says Inhalation Will Improve Patient Relief
Gary Long, CEO of Botanical Sciences, the state’s largest medical cannabis dispensary operator, said the new product category will have an immediate impact on patient care.
“They’re looking for instant relief. This particular form of the product, inhaled, goes straight into the bloodstream and allows for quicker relief for patients,” Long told WRDW. “Whether it’s cancer, PTSD, multiple sclerosis, or chronic pain.”
Long said many patients have asked for inhalable options since the program launched, and the company plans to move quickly once the commission finalizes rules. He noted that vaporized formulations are widely used in other medical cannabis states and often serve patients who cannot tolerate oral products or who need faster onset during acute episodes.
Georgia’s medical cannabis registry now includes more than 33,000 patients, according to data from the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, and the expansion is expected to bring more people into the program. Physicians will have new flexibility to recommend medical cannabis for conditions that previously did not qualify, and dispensaries will be able to offer a broader range of formulations tailored to different therapeutic needs.
The commission is expected to begin rulemaking later this year, with product availability likely to follow once testing and manufacturing standards are finalized. For patients who have waited years for a more functional medical cannabis program, the changes represent a meaningful step forward, even as the state maintains one of the most restrictive frameworks in the country.
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The information in this article and any included images or charts are for educational purposes only. This information is neither a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional legal advice or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about laws, regulations, or your health, you should always consult with an attorney, physician or other licensed professional.
