Pharmacies across Georgia, including dozens in and around Atlanta, are now allowed to put low THC medical cannabis oil on their shelves for registered patients. It is a major shift from relying on a small number of dispensaries to a pharmacy model that health advocates say should finally bring access to patients in suburban and rural corners of the state.
Patients who want the oil still have to clear a few hurdles. They must first obtain a Georgia Low THC Oil Registry Card, which comes only after a certifying physician files a recommendation with state health authorities. According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, the cards are valid for two years and allow possession of up to 20 fluid ounces of low THC oil.
State rules cap tetrahydrocannabinol at 5 percent by weight and require that products be packaged and labeled like prescription medicines. The offerings will not look like a typical dispensary spread either. Tinctures, capsules, topical creams and nasal sprays will sit behind the counter, and pharmacists, USPharmacist notes, are responsible for verifying registry cards, keeping products locked up and maintaining records.
More than 400 independent pharmacies statewide are eligible to apply for a special dispensing permit, and early industry chatter puts initial interest at roughly 120 to 130 stores. Atlanta News First reports that the pharmacy model is specifically designed to get doses into counties that do not have dispensaries. Big national chains such as CVS and Walgreens have already said they are sitting this one out.
Industry reaction
“This marks a significant milestone in the advancement of access to medical cannabis here in the state of Georgia,” a Riverside pharmacist said in a statement included in Trulieve’s rollout announcement, as the company detailed plans to move its Momenta branded low THC products into partner pharmacies. Botanical Sciences, the other Class 1 licensee, is making similar partnership moves and says pharmacy distribution will help patients who previously had to drive long distances just to buy oil. Those remarks and the companies’ rollout plans were laid out in a Trulieve press release and covered by Cannabis Business Times as well as in Trulieve’s own announcement.
How it works for patients
The growers and manufacturers supplying pharmacies are licensed and listed by the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission, which shows Trulieve and Botanical Sciences among its Class 1 production licensees. Pharmacies themselves must obtain a dispensing permit from the Georgia Board of Pharmacy before they can hand over a single bottle.
Per the GMCC, the state keeps a searchable list of licensed dispensaries, while the Georgia Department of Public Health manages the Low THC registry and operates a verification hotline to confirm card status. Patients and caregivers are urged to double check the commission’s map and make sure their chosen pharmacy is properly credentialed before making a purchase.
