Why it matters: Georgia’s first medical marijuana dispensaries have opened, providing patients access to cannabis oil with up to 5% THC, which has been legal since 2015. A total of 27k patients are registered within the program, with the newly opened dispensaries located in Macon and Marietta. Trulieve is behind each retailer, and the company has plans to open three more in the forthcoming year.
What they are saying: Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers, reaffirmed that “access to medical cannabis improves lives, and Trulieve is proud to be the first to provide that access to the state of Georgia”. Trulieve President, Lisa Pinkney also added that “I’m proud to open two dispensaries in both Macon and Marietta for patients to begin receiving the medicine they need.”
The big picture: Despite the legalisation of medical marijuana in 2015, Georgia has experienced regulatory delays that have impacted its full implementation and limited access for patients. However, the recent addition of the two medical marijuana dispensaries has provided a beginning to Georgia’s medical marijuana journey.
What to watch: With Trulieve, it is expected three more retailers in Pooler, Columbus and Newnan will be opened, meanwhile, in March, Georgia lawmakers worked to increase available medical cannabis dispensary licenses from six to 15. It will be interesting to see the progression of the roll-out, how it is received as laws undergo change and how Georgia’s medical marijuana industry develops.
My take: While Georgia’s recent opening of its first medical marijuana dispensaries provides hope and proof of progression, there are still a number of challenges to overcome fully. However, the opening of two dispensaries hopefully signifies the beginning of a much larger change, and efforts should only accelerate in granting patients access to medicine they require.
