DEA warns Georgia to stop plans to let pharmacies sell medical marijuana
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is warning Georgia not to go ahead with a plan to become the first state in the nation to offer medical marijuana products at independent pharmacies.
FOX Business reports that DEA officials told pharmacies that, despite state law allowing pharmacies to sell medical marijuana, the action would violate federal law.
The Georgia Board of Pharmacy began accepting applications in October, and over 100 pharmacies have agreed to provide medication from Botanical Sciences, one of the state’s two licensed production companies. After they submit applications, inspections of the pharmacies will be required before the board grants approval.
Medical marijuana is only available to Georgians with approval from a physician to treat severe illnesses including seizures, terminal cancers, Parkinson’s disease and post-traumatic stress disorder. Low THC oil can contain no more than 5% THC, the compound that gives users a high.
The expansion of medical cannabis sales into drug stores would put low THC oil within reach of many more patients, adding to the state’s seven dispensaries that have opened since April.
Patients would be able to buy cannabis oil at pharmacies if they show a state-issued low THC oil registry card and identification.
But the DEO memo sent to pharmacies, which was shared by the anti-marijuana group Smart Approaches to Marijuana, says that no pharmacy can lawfully possess or distribute marijuana or products containing more than 0.3% THC.
In November 2023, Ohio became the 24th state to legalize recreational marijuana. Other states, including Georgia, allow some form of medical cannabis.
There are over 400 independent pharmacies in Georgia, and the Georgia Pharmacy Association says it expects most of them will be interested in selling low-THC oil. The product isn’t being sold by national drugstores like CVS and Walgreens.
The Associated Press contributed to this report