Overview
- The law signed in May and effective Wednesday, July 1, 2026, removes the previous 5% THC potency cap and allows a wider range of products including oils, edibles, gummies and vaporized flower.
- Patients may possess up to 12,000 milligrams of medical cannabis if kept in labeled pharmaceutical containers, vaping is allowed for adults 21 and older outside public spaces, and smoking remains prohibited.
- Legal access requires a Georgia-licensed physician to certify a qualifying condition and upload records to the Georgia Department of Public Health, with a two-year registry card costing $30 and waived annual recertification for incurable or irreversible conditions.
- Dispensaries in the Augusta area are operating under the new rules, offering higher-potency products to patients while operators and staff emphasize dosing guidance and product education.
- The law broadens qualifying conditions to include illnesses such as Stage III HIV, lupus, autism spectrum disorder, severe Alzheimer’s and inflammatory bowel disease and moves Georgia closer to the medical cannabis rules used in other states while the state implements administrative details.