GEORGIA — A group of medical professionals is urging Gov. Brian Kemp to reject Senate Bill 220 as lawmakers head into the final day of the General Assembly.
Senate Bill 220 lifts the current 5% THC limit on products and allows the sale of marijuana vapes and leaf marijuana for vaporization at home.
“It moves our program from a low oil-based THC program to a medical cannabis program, which is how the other 41 states that have these programs are set up,” said Botanical Sciences Dispensary CEO Gary Long.
Botanical Sciences grows marijuana in Georgia, which is used in products sold at its five dispensaries.
Customers must get authorization from a doctor to purchase medical marijuana, which is prescribed for chronic medical conditions, including, but not limited to, seizure disorders, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, and intractable pain.
SB 220 would add lupus to the list.
While supporters say the bill would expand access for patients across Georgia, critics are concerned it removes key safeguards.
For Dr. Karen Drexler, the issue is personal.
“My husband’s uncle was a long-time marijuana user. In his 50s, he developed delusions,” Drexler told Channel 2’s Brittany Kleinpeter.
Drexler said her loved one eventually attempted to set himself and his home on fire.
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She said his wife was able to get them both out safely, but the house was a total loss.
“I’m convinced, as a psychiatrist, that schizophrenia doesn’t start in one’s 50s, that this was cannabis-induced,” she said.
That’s just one of many reasons she feels strongly that Senate Bill 220 could pose a risk to Georgians’ mental health.
The bill, passed by the Georgia legislature last week, would lift THC potency limits, allow new forms such as vaping, and shift toward dosage-based regulation for registered patients.
Internal medicine physician and psychiatrist Dr. Elizabeth McCord said she’s seen how increased access to THC in recent years has led to higher risks of addiction, psychosis, and cognitive impairment.
“I think a lot of Georgians are going to suffer. I think we’re going to see detrimental outcomes for both mental and physical health,” McCord said.
McCord is among several healthcare professionals who joined Drexler in sending a letter to Kemp earlier this week, asking him not to sign SB 220.
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The letter states, in part: “SB 220 would authorize high-risk cannabis products, such as vapes and concentrates, that have no demonstrated safety or benefit for any medical condition and are shown to increase the risk of psychosis, addiction, seizures, heart attacks, cognitive impairment, and other serious health harms. It would allow individuals to possess up to 12,000 mg of THC at once — the equivalent of more than 1,700 marijuana joints — with no meaningful limit on how often that amount can be repurchased.”
Bill sponsor state Rep. Mark Newton, who is also a physician, said the legislation emphasizes precise dosing, strengthens doctor oversight, and keeps use controlled.
“It’s still a controlled substance, and Georgia takes that seriously. We want to make sure doctors and patients take it very seriously,” Newton said.
Newton also emphasized that no one under 21 would be allowed to vape, and that the bill reduces the total amount a person can possess at one time.
“One of the biggest things we did is ensure patients have a closer relationship with their doctors,” he said.
Despite the debate, both sides say patient safety and physician oversight remain top priorities.
“If we’re going to call this medicine, we want it to meet the same standards as any other medication used to protect patients,” McCord said.
“We tightened the bill to ensure doctors can maintain the close patient relationships we expect in a healthcare setting,” Newton said.
Danielle Rasor is a young mother and business owner who uses medical marijuana to treat symptoms caused by multiple sclerosis.
She supports an expanded program.
“It’s really been a miracle for my family because it allows me the quality of life that I want to have, and the energy that I need to keep up with my six-year-old and run my business. I really wouldn’t have that without this program,” Rasor said.
The legislation is awaiting a signature from Gov. Brian Kemp.
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