The Georgia Department of Public Health announced several changes to the process for obtaining Low THC Oil cards. These changes are in accordance with Georgia Code
31-2A-18 and will benefit patients and caregivers.
- Cards are now valid for five years instead of two. This change applies to new cards and renewal of existing cards as they expire.
- Cards can be paid for through an online portal and mailed directly to a patient or cardholder’s home address, which helps reduce card processing time. Payment by money order is also accepted. Individuals who don’t have a permanent, secure home address, or use a P.O. box will still have their cards shipped to a health department location. Cardholders or their designee will need to show identification such as a valid driver’s license, state-issued identification card, passport, military ID, or other valid form of identification to pick up the card.
- If someone other than yourself or your caregiver picks up the card on your behalf, you must sign an authorization form permitting them to do so.
- The cost of a Low THC Oil card is increasing to $30 for five years, a $5 increase over the cost of a two-year card. If an individual uses the online payment portal, there is a service fee of $3.75 in addition to the $30. If paying by money order, there is no service fee. Low THC Oil cards are not covered by insurance.
Patients who have one of 17 qualifying conditions or are in end-stage hospice care are eligible for a Low THC Oil card if they are certified by a physician fully licensed by the Georgia Composite Medical Board. Physician certification is the only legal way patients and their caregivers can access Low THC Oil in Georgia.
Georgia law authorizes the legal possession of up to 20 fluid ounces of Low THC Oil by patients and their caregivers who are listed in the Low THC Oil Registry with an active card status. The law does not make the sale or possession of all types of marijuana legal in Georgia. Possession of any form of marijuana by an unauthorized person is a violation of state and federal law.
For additional information about these changes or other questions about the Low THC Oil cards, please visit https://dph.georgia.gov/low-thc-oil-registry. Medical cannabis dispensary locations can be found on the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission website.