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A panel of Georgia lawmakers wrapped up its final public hearing Friday as they weigh whether to expand access to medical marijuana in the upcoming legislative session.
What is SB 220?
Senate Bill 220 would allow medical cannabis to be vaped and raise the legal THC limit from the current five percent to as high as 50 percent. The bill stalled earlier this year, prompting the Legislature to hold hearings through the summer to gather testimony before it returns in January.
Medical cannabis consequences
Dr. Elizabeth McCord, a physician dually trained in internal medicine and psychiatry, fellowship-trained in addiction psychiatry and identifying as an addiction psychiatrist, urged lawmakers to avoid that level of expansion.
“Anything over ten percent is considered high-potency cannabis, and we know that when you are using high potency cannabis products that you run the risk of having detrimental medical consequences, psychiatric consequences. And so we have come up, or I am personally recommending a ten percent THC cap or lower because the data is not there for anything higher,” she told the committee.
“I have prescribed FDA-approved medications that have THC in them for FDA-approved reasons reason,” she acknowledged, but stressed the bill goes too far.
Medical marijuana cap
Not everyone agreed.
Dr. Elmore Alexander, who sat in to observe, said the higher cap is necessary for patients in severe need. “A lot of patients can’t metabolize cannabis at the same rate. … problems sleeping, cannabis can help with that. He has pain. Cannabis can help with that,” he said. “The ones that are the worst, suffering the most, they’re getting the least amount of care.”
Georgia legislature to decide
Committee chair Rep. Mark Newton said firsthand testimony from both physicians and patients has been critical as lawmakers decide how far to go.
“We want to look at things not quite like Solomon but moderation, wisdom and justice… protecting people from adulterated products,” Newton said.
This was the panel’s fourth and final public hearing. Work on the bill begins again when the Legislature reconvenes in January.
