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State Rep. Micah Gravley (R-Douglasville), who has been a driving force behind medical marijuana use and most recently manufacturing cannabis oil for medical use in Georgia, has been appointed by Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) to serve as a member of the state’s Medical Cannabis Commission Oversight Committee. 

“I am honored Speaker Ralston would entrust me with this appointment,” said Gravley. “He has been a tremendous supporter of Georgia patients in need of medical cannabis. I look forward to working with the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission to build a strong foundation of medical research and development for Georgia’s medical cannabis program.”  

The Medical Cannabis Commission Oversight Committee assists the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission in its efforts to regulate medical cannabis in the state. Members of the committee can inspect any cannabis production facility in Georgia upon request and after reasonable notice is provided to the production facility. Senate Bill 195, passed this year, expands and clarifies the oversight committee’s responsibilities. If this bill is signed into law by the Governor, the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission would be required to provide certain information and documents to assist the oversight committee’s work.   

This bill would also direct the oversight committee to recommend a process and plan regarding accredited lab testing and labeling of approved cannabis products, as well as allow the oversight committee to seek input from patients and physicians regarding the quality and accessibility of medical cannabis. 

The Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission oversees the regulated licensing of in-state cultivation, production, manufacturing and sale of low-THC oil. This commission also oversees how low-THC oil is dispensed to registered patients on the state’s Low-THC Oil Registry. 

Georgia’s medical cannabis program is considered more restrictive than many other states. 

Officials are currently looking over more than 70 applications form those seeking growing licenses — six will be awarded later this spring or early summer. Under Georgia law, those six will have 12 months to open a maximum five dispensaries each and start providing the low-THC oil to nearly 19,000 patients signed up on a state registry.