How to Get A Georgia Medical Marijuana Card
Register With MMJ Card Online
The first step in getting a Georgia medical marijuana card is submitting the form at the top of this page to get connected to a licensed healthcare provider. The healthcare provider will ask you questions about your medical history and approve you for your Georgia medical marijuana card. The consultation costs $149, but if you’re not approved, you will receive a full refund.
The physician who submits your application should be the one who is treating you for your qualifying condition. They must complete two documents: a certification form and a waiver. The patient and the physician must sign the waiver. The documents are submitted electronically, and the physician keeps a copy for their records. You can also request a copy if you wish.
Speak with a Licensed Georgia MMJ Doctor
During the online consultation you will be asked to explain your symptoms, how they impact your life, and why you believe medical cannabis might help. Depending on the consultation, the physician may diagnose you with a qualifying condition (see below) and agree that low-THC oil is an appropriate treatment. In that case, they will submit your application to the Georgia Department of Public Health.
Wait for Approval
After your physician has submitted your documentation, the Georgia Department of Public Health will review your application and verify your details. If approved, they will then create your medical card. The entire process usually takes no more than 15 business days, after which you can pick up your card from your local Georgia Public Health office. A consultant will contact you to discuss the most convenient location for you to collect your card.
How to Apply for a Medical Marijuana Card in Georgia
- A Step-by-Step Guide
- Consult a physician to confirm the diagnosis of a qualifying condition and that cannabis might help
- The physician will submit the relevant documents to the Georgia Department of Public Health
- The Department will review your documents and issue your card
- Collect your card from a preselected Local Georgia Public Health Office
- Visit a licensed dispensary and buy your low-THC oil
Georgia Medical Marijuana Card Qualifying Conditions
To apply for a medical marijuana card in GA, you must fall into one of the following three categories:
- Adults with one or more specified qualifying conditions (see below)
- Legal guardians of adults with one or more specified qualifying conditions
- Parents or legal guardians of minors with one or more specified qualifying conditions
Patient Qualifying Conditions
The list of GA medical marijuana card qualifying conditions is reasonably long compared to other states. It includes the following:
- Cancer (end-stage or if the treatment produces related wasting syndrome or recalcitrant nausea and vomiting
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (severe or end stage)
- Seizure disorders related to epilepsy or trauma-related head injury
- Multiple sclerosis (severe or end stage)
- Crohn’s disease
- Mitochondrial disease
- Parkinson’s disease (severe or end stage)
- Sickle cell disease (severe or end stage)
- Tourette’s syndrome (severe)
- Autism spectrum disorder, when either the patient is over 18 or the patient is under 18 and diagnosed with severe autism
- Epidermolysis bullosa
- Alzheimer’s disease (severe or end stage)
- AIDS (severe or end stage)
- Peripheral neuropathy (severe or end stage)
- The patient is either an inpatient or outpatient in a hospice program
- Intractable pain
- Post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from direct exposure to trauma or witnessing a trauma for patients over 18
General Guidelines
Medical Marijuana Card Renewal in Georgia
Low THC oil cards are valid for two years. When renewing, patients must have another consultation with their physician to determine whether they are still eligible. If the physician agrees, they will update the patient’s information in the registry.
The process is similar to the initial registration, and patients can usually collect their new card from a Local Georgia Public Health office after 15 business days.
Caregiver Rules
Minors require a parent or legal guardian to act as a caregiver to get MMJ in Georgia. Some adults may also require a caregiver to help them purchase, transport, and use their low-THC oil.
Caregivers must apply to the registry in a similar manner to patients. In the case of minors, if two parents or legal guardians will act as caregivers, both must apply for a separate card.
A Brief History of Cannabis in Georgia
Georgia’s first attempt at something resembling a medical marijuana program was a law known as HB1 or the Haleigh’s Hope Act. It was signed in 2015 by Governor Nathan Deal and allowed patients to access cannabis oil with up to 5% THC. Unfortunately, there were only eight qualifying conditions, meaning few qualified for the program. There were also no provisions for cultivating, manufacturing and distributing low-THC oil.
In 2017, six further qualifying conditions were added under Senate Bill 16. Then, in 2018, PTSD and intractable pain were added under a law known as HB65. Finally, in 2019, provisions were made for cultivating and distributing low-THC oil in Georgia. This law was known as HB324 or the Hope Act. The Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission started accepting license applications in 2020. The first dispensary opened in April 2023, with others set to follow in the near future.
Georgia Medical Marijuana Laws and Rules
Georgia is one of just a few states that has not either legalized or decriminalized small amounts of cannabis for personal use. Possessing any amount counts as a misdemeanor with a possible prison sentence of one year. Possessing over an ounce counts as a felony with a possible prison sentence of 1–10 years.
Likewise, the cultivation and sale of any amount of cannabis is a felony, with a possible prison sentence of 1–10 years.
FAQ | Getting Your Georgia MMJ Card
The Georgia Department of Public Health aims to issue all cards within 15 business days of the application being submitted.
Here at MMJ Card Online, we have an exceptional approval rate. However, we offer a full money-back guarantee if you do not qualify for the Low THC Oil Registry. If you are not approved for low-THC oil, you can still purchase regular CBD oil with a THC content under 0.3%. It is widely available from numerous online sellers.
The medical marijuana card cost in GA is $25, and you make payment when you collect your card from your preselected Local Georgia Public Health office. You will also need to pay physician’s fees, in the range of $150-$250. Contact us today to see whether we can save you money and help you apply for MMJ in Georgia.
Patients in Georgia only have access to low-THC oil, with a maximum THC content of 5%. You cannot purchase cannabis in its natural form or edible or vape products containing THC.
You can possess up to 20 fluid ounces of low-THC oil with a Low THC Oil Registry card. The oil must be in a pharmaceutical container and labeled by the manufacturer, including how much THC the product contains.
Trulieve Medical Marijuana Dispensary in Atlanta was the first place to sell low-THC oil. The state has issued five dispensary licenses, and it is unknown whether it will provide more a little later on. Therefore, MMJ patients in Georgia may not necessarily have a dispensary open nearby. This is especially true if you live outside a major city.
Cannabis is federally illegal, meaning cannabis products cannot be transported across state lines. This includes the low-THC oil covered by the Georgia MMJ program. There is no reciprocity between Georgia and other states for medical cannabis products. However, visitors may be able to possess low-THC oil lawfully, provided their home state has the same possession laws as Georgia and they have a valid registration card.