Georgia Medical Cannabis Registry Surges Past 44,000 Under Expanded Law, Wait Times Grow

A July law broadening Georgia's medical marijuana program has pushed patient enrollment up sharply, with officials citing processing delays of up to four weeks.

FILE — statehouse · B.D. Gilfry / CC BY-SA 2.0

Enrollment in Georgia's medical marijuana program has jumped since state lawmakers expanded the program in July, according to figures reported by CBS News Atlanta and MMJDaily, though the two outlets cite somewhat different totals for the increase.

Registry Numbers Climb, Though Sources Differ Slightly

CBS News Atlanta, citing the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission, reported the state's Low THC Oil Registry held 36,703 patients when the law took effect and had grown to 46,197 within roughly two months. MMJDaily reported the registry climbed from 36,595 patients in late June to a current total of 44,854 patients as of its report, an increase the outlet described as more than 22%, or upward of 8,200 patients. The discrepancy between the two counts is not explained in either report, but both indicate rapid, substantial growth in a program that had previously expanded slowly.

What The Law Changed

According to CBS News Atlanta, the new law lets registered patients buy products with higher THC concentrations, along with dry herb and vaporization products. MMJDaily reported the law eliminated the program's old "low-THC oil" branding, replaced a percentage-based potency cap with a milligram-based system, and allowed patients over 21 to purchase vaping products. Separately, our database shows 11Alive reported the changes took effect July 1, though the CBS and MMJDaily source articles reviewed for this story describe the law only as taking effect "in July" without specifying an exact date. Both outlets noted the law added qualifying conditions including lupus and irritable bowel syndrome; CBS also listed HIV, while MMJDaily reported the law removed a prior requirement that conditions such as cancer and AIDS be "severe or end-stage" to qualify.

Processing Delays

The Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission told CBS News Atlanta that increased demand and processing times have created an estimated four-week wait for medical marijuana cards. MMJDaily reported the change pushed Department of Public Health processing times from about one week to as long as four weeks. DPH spokesperson Nancy Shirek told MMJDaily the agency is "reviewing each application accurately and in line with state requirements" and said officials "appreciate their patience as we work through this unprecedented volume."

Physician And Industry Perspectives

Dr. Tiffanni Forbes of Better Health Wellness told CBS News Atlanta that inhaled cannabis products can offer faster relief than other forms, which she said can take 30 to 90 minutes to take full effect. Forbes said conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, chronic back problems and degenerative disease can qualify under the state's intractable pain category, adding that "a lot of people don't know" this. CBS reported the most common qualifying conditions among registered patients are PTSD, cancer and seizure disorders. Gary Long, CEO of licensed producer Botanical Sciences, told MMJDaily the enrollment surge reflects "pent-up demand" and predicted continued growth as "people are starting to realize that Georgia has evolved its laws." Long estimated 300,000 to 400,000 Georgians could eventually enroll, based on a roughly 4% adoption benchmark seen in other state programs and Georgia's population of nearly 11.5 million.

Market And Regulatory Context

State licensing records show Georgia's program remains categorized as "Limited," with 18 open retail locations, six manufacturing facilities and one lab, but no open cultivation licenses and no pending applications logged. No year-to-date revenue or monthly sales figures were available in state filings reviewed for this story. Related coverage in Cannabis Newz's database shows additional program activity, including a Post and Courier report that Fine Fettle opened a dispensary in Evans, Georgia, in early July, and a WABE report that the state is moving toward allowing medical cannabis home delivery. Separately, unrelated law-enforcement activity continues in the state: WJCL reported a Lowndes County traffic stop that netted roughly 559 pounds of marijuana from a cargo van, and a driver identified as Yong Pan was arrested on trafficking charges — an illustration of ongoing illicit-market enforcement alongside the regulated program's expansion.

What To Watch

With enrollment figures still in flux and reported inconsistently across outlets, it remains unclear how quickly the Department of Public Health can close its processing backlog or whether the four-week wait will lengthen further as awareness of the expanded law spreads. Long's projection of 300,000 to 400,000 eventual patients is presented as an estimate rather than a state target, and it is not yet reflected in official sales or licensing data, which show no cultivation licenses currently open despite retail and manufacturing activity — a gap that could affect supply as demand grows.