ATLANTA — Identification cards that allow someone to use cannabis oil will soon be available to thousands of Georgians who suffer from chronic illnesses.
Channel 2's Tom Regan was at the unveiling of a state registry that will open the door for a new treatment option.
Under the new medical marijuana law, qualified patients can legally possess up to 20 liquid ounces of the low grade THC cannabis oil.
For the families of those patients, it's a potentially lifesaving medication.
"She's starting to have seizure free days," said Corey Lowe about her 13-year-old daughter, Victoria.
Victoria suffers from the neurological disorder, epilepsy. Her seizures stopped when she started using cannabis oil in Colorado last summer. The family moved back to Georgia this spring after the new law passed.
''We were one of the first families that received the temporary card on April 16. We were able to start on her on cannabis again,” said Lowe.
Other families with children who have been helped by the use of cannabis oil were among those who packed a hearing by the Georgia commission on medical cannabis.
Lawmakers and state health officials discussed how eligible patients can apply with a doctor for a medical cannabis card.
"The only requirement for the physician is that they be a Georgia licensed physician in good standing," said Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald, with the Georgia Department of Public Health.
Eligible diagnosis for cannabis oil includes seizure disorders, Lou Gehrig's disease and Parkinson's disease.
Lowe says it's made all the difference in her daughter's life.
“It worked remarkably, and it gave me the motivation to come back home, get the bill passed and be one of the first on hand to say it saved my daughter's life,” Lowe said.
Advocates of cannabis oil say the next step for the state is to legalize cultivation so it will be readily available for patients who qualify.
In order to qualify for a card, patients must suffer from one of eight medical conditions, including cancer. The card will only allow patients to have a restricted form of cannabis oil and doctors must submit the application. The card costs $25 and is good for two years, but patients must check in with doctors four times a year.
WSBTV
