Cannabis, which is also called marijuana, weed, pot, or ganja, is a plant that has chemicals in it that can make a person feel, think, and perceive differently. Cannabis is used for fun, health, and spiritual reasons by many people, but it is against the law in many places, including the U.S. state of Georgia.
This piece will talk about the current state, past, and future of legalizing cannabis in Georgia. It will also talk about the legal alternatives to cannabis use and the risks of doing so in the Peach State.
Is Cannabis Legal in Georgia?
The simple answer is no. Marijuana is prohibited for recreational use in Georgia, and the state has among the toughest punishments in the country for cannabis possession, sale, trafficking, and growing. Possession of 1 ounce or less of cannabis is a misdemeanor in Georgia, punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Possession of more than one ounce of marijuana constitutes a crime punishable by up to ten years in jail and a $5,000 fine. Cannabis sales, trafficking, and production are all crimes punishable by up to 40 years in jail and up to $1 million in penalties, depending on the amount and circumstances.
However, several localities have established exceptions and modifications in recent years to allow for restricted medicinal usage and decriminalization of cannabis.
Cannabis for Medical Use in Georgia
Georgia has a very restricted medical cannabis program that lets people with certain diseases that make them sick or disabled have and use low-THC cannabis oil.
It is called low-THC cannabis oil if it has no more than 5% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the main compound in cannabis that makes people feel high, and the same amount of cannabidiol (CBD), which is not psychoactive but may have medical benefits, as THC.
These health problems make people eligible for the program:
- Cancer, when the disease is in its last stages or when treatment causes wasting sickness or persistent nausea and vomiting
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, when the disease is very bad or nearing the end stage
- Disorders of seizures linked to epilepsy or head injuries from accidents
- Multiple sclerosis, when the disease is very bad or past its end stage
- Crohn’s disease
- Diseases of the mitochondria
- Parkinson’s disease, when it is serious or in its last stages
- Sickle cell disease, when it is very bad or near the end stage
- When the condition is very bad, Tourette’s syndrome
- Autism spectrum disease, if (a) the person is at least 18 years old or (b) they are younger than 18 and have been identified with strong autism
- Melasma of the skin
- Alzheimer’s disease, when it is serious or in its last stages
- AIDS when the disease is very bad or near the end stage
- When symptoms are very bad or the end stage of peripheral neuropathy
- The person is in the hospice program, either as a resident or a visitor.
- No relief from pain
- For people who are at least 18 years old, post-traumatic stress disorder is caused by being directly exposed to or watching a stressful event.
Patients in Georgia must register with the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) and get a $25 Low THC Oil Registry Card to get low-THC cannabis oil. This card must be updated every year. Patients with this card can have up to 20 ounces of low-THC cannabis oil with them at all times.
However, patients in Georgia cannot legally buy, make, or carry low-THC cannabis oil with this card. Patients have to get the oil from a different state that allows medical cannabis, which could be against both federal and state rules.
Cannabis legalization in Georgia
Even though marijuana is still against the law in Georgia as a whole, some places have made it less of a crime to have small amounts of it. When a crime is decriminalized, it is treated as a civil complaint instead of a crime, and the punishment is generally a fine instead of jail time.
Here are the Georgia towns that have made it legal to use cannabis:
- Atlanta: You can get a $75 fine for having up to an ounce of weed on you.
- Savannah: If you are caught with up to an ounce of cannabis, you will be fined $150 for the first crime and up to $300 for each subsequent violation.
- Macon: You can get a $75 fine for having up to an ounce of weed on you.
- Athens: You can get a $100 fine for having up to an ounce of weed on you.
- South Fulton: You can get a $150 fine for having up to an ounce of weed on you.
- Forest Park: You can get a $100 fine for having up to an ounce of weed on you.
- Kingsland: You can get a $150 fine for having up to an ounce of weed on you.
- Statesboro: You can get a $500 fine for having up to an ounce of weed on you.
- Clarkston: You can get a $75 fine for having up to an ounce of weed on you.
However, legalization does not mean that these towns now allow cannabis use. It only means that the local government can choose to follow either the state law or the city rule.
As a result, people who use weed may still be arrested, charged, and given a criminal record under state law, especially if they are caught by state or federal police.
Delta 8 THC: A Legal Cannabis Alternative in Georgia
Delta 8 THC is a new cannabinoid that has just hit the market. It may interest Georgians who use weed and are looking for a legal, less strong option. There is a naturally occurring chemical in cannabis called delta-8 THC. It is similar to delta 9 THC, which is the main psychoactive compound in cannabis, but there are some changes.
Delta 8 THC is about half as strong as Delta 9 THC. This means that it gives you a milder high with less nervousness and confusion. Delta 8 THC may also be good for you in some medical ways, like helping with nausea, pain, and inflammation.
Because it comes from hemp, which is described as cannabis with less than 0.3% delta 9 THC, delta 8 THC is allowed in Georgia. The 2018 Farm Bill, which Georgia has signed into law, makes hemp and goods made from hemp legal at the federal level.
You can buy Delta 8 THC goods in Georgia online and in some shops. They come in different forms, like oils, gummies, cartridges, and flowers.
People who want to buy delta 8 THC goods should be careful, though, because they are not controlled by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the Department of Public Health (DPH), and they could have contaminants, additives, or wrong amounts of delta 8 THC. People who buy Delta 8 THC should also know about the risks and side effects, such as driving while high, drug tests, and drug combinations.
Conclusion
According to the data, recreational cannabis usage is prohibited in Georgia, however, several exceptions and amendments allow for restricted medicinal use and decriminalization of small amounts.
The information describes Georgia’s existing cannabis laws and penalties for possession, sale, trafficking, and manufacturing, as well as the criteria and limits for medicinal cannabis patients.
The information also includes towns and counties that have decriminalized cannabis possession and cut fines for violators. This information can assist cannabis users and activists in understanding Georgia’s legal position and cannabis hazards.