What people who aren’t from Georgia may not know is that “The Peach State'' was one of the first states to enact medicinal marijuana laws in 1980. Interestingly, Georgia still has no recreational marijuana laws on its books even though most of the states in the United States do.
There still is some flexibility within the cannabis laws in Georgia. For example, consumers can purchase CBD products in Georgia, and other hemp-based variations that include delta 8, delta 10, and more.
Read on to learn more about the legality of buying CBD oil in the great state of Georgia.
CBD in Georgia: Everything You Need to Know
The great news is that it’s very easy to buy CBD oil in Georgia. In fact, the market is growing rapidly in the state, which means that there are lots of options when it comes to getting your hands on some high-quality CBD products.
Currently, both hemp-based CBD and medicinal marijuana products are legal to buy in the state, but patients diagnosed with certain diseases can also buy high-CBD and low-THC marijuana products.
Out of the entire state, north Georgia and areas in and near greater Atlanta have the most CBD stores. Consumers are also able to buy top-quality hemp-based CBD products from respected online brands as well.
In 2015, HB1, or Haleigh’s Hope Act, was passed. This law granted patients access to medicinal marijuana via a medicinal marijuana card if they were diagnosed with the following conditions:
- Seizures
- Crohn’s Disease
- ALS
- Multiple sclerosis
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Mitochondrial disease
- Sickle cell disease
- Cancer
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- Tourette’s syndrome
- Autism
- AIDS/HIV
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
In Georgia, “medicinal marijuana” is used to describe cannabis oil that has high levels of CBD and low levels of THC of up to 5%. The state law does not allow residents to grow their own marijuana for medicinal purposes. Therefore, patients who are diagnosed with one of the conditions listed above must drive to other states to buy marijuana-derived CBD oil.
Strangely, patients can be arrested for violating federal law if they’re caught traveling back to Georgia with the oil because marijuana is still seen as a Schedule 1 drug under the Controlled Substance Act in the eyes of the federal government. In order to not get in trouble with the law, you need to be registered with the Georgia Department of Public health and have your registration card on you while in possession of the oil.
If you’re caught possessing more than one ounce of marijuana in Georgia, then you can be charged with a felony and may serve up to 10 years in prison. Less than an ounce of marijuana can earn you a misdemeanor, a year in jail, and a $1000 fine.
Thankfully, hemp-derived CBD oil is federally legal throughout all 50 states, so consumers don’t have to worry about any legal consequences in Georgia.
Some of the counties and cities in Georgia that have lowered penalties for marijuana are:
- Atlanta
- Clarkston
- Forest Park
- Fulton County
- Kingston
- Macon-Bibb County
- Savannah
- South Fulton
- Tybee Island
Because laws frequently change, it’s good to stay up to date with them so that you can be aware of any new legislation.
Is CBD Legal in Georgia?
CBD oil is legal in Georgia, however, it depends on which type of CBD oil it is. For example, hemp-based CBD oil is legal in Georgia and the rest of the United States through the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill.
Hemp-based CBD oil is legal because it contains 0.3% or less THC, which means that consumers cannot get “high” from using it. Finding top-quality CBD oil in stores or online will be a breeze as long as you spend some time researching products and brands.
CBD oil that’s made from marijuana is only legal in Georgia if you possess a medicinal marijuana card. However, even if you do hold a medicinal marijuna card, you can only buy oil that doesn’t exceed a 5% THC content.
Can You Legally Buy CBD Oil in Georgia?
As we just stated above, as long as you’re buying hemp-derived CBD oil with 0.3% or less THC, you can legally buy CBD oil in Georgia and throughout the United States. If you’re looking for CBD oil made from marijuana, then you’ll have to hold a medicinal marijuana card.
The main trick to finding pure and potent oil in Georgia is to spend as much time as you can looking at brands and products. While you’re at it, you can also research some of the brick and mortar stores that are near you as well. Research is key to making sure that you don’t wind up spending your hard-earned money on a cheaply made product from a less-reputable brand.
What to Look for When Buying CBD Oil in Georgia
Whether you’re shopping online or in a store for CBD oil, there are specific things that you should be looking for in a product. After doing some research, you’ll be able to find a reliable brand and/or place where you can fulfill all of your CBD needs.
Some steps that you can take to ensure you’re buying top-shelf CBD oil from a trusted brand are as follows:
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Confirm that the brand routinely tests its products with a third-party lab. These labs test the products for both potency and purity. Upon reading these reports, you’ll know exactly the quality of the product that you’ll potentially be putting inside your body.
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Buy CBD oil from companies that use the industry preferred CO2 extraction method. This type of extraction method does not use harmful solvents or extreme heat, so the final product is clean, potent, and pure.
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Stay away from brands that make outrageous claims about their products. Any brand that claims its products are a miracle cure for every ailment should be avoided at all costs. While CBD oil can be helpful for some conditions and a great way to help boost or maintain general wellness, it is not a miracle cure.
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Know where the brand grows and cultivates its hemp. It’s best to go with brands that use organic hemp that’s grown in the United States. Organic hemp is held to strict standards in order for it to be labeled as organic. Moreover, hemp that’s grown overseas is held to different standards than hemp that’s grown domestically.
- Look to see if the brand offers both full-spectrum and broad spectrum products. When you use these types of CBD product varieties, you’re ensuring that you’ll be getting all of the good stuff that the hemp plant has to offer. Full-spectrum and broad spectrum products contain all of the cannabinoids, terpenes, and phytonutrients in the hemp plant. If you have concerns about THC, then you can choose a broad spectrum product because all of the THC has been filtered out of this variety.
Where to Buy CBD Oil in Georgia
There are many trusted brick and mortar locations to buy CBD oil from in Georgia. Some of the most popular places are as follows:
Atlanta
- Vape Atlanta
- Vape 911
- Village Smoke
Savannah
- Blue Smoke Vape
- Gallery Smoke Savannah
- Smoke City
- Ye Ole Tobacco Shop
Augusta
- Victorious Vapors
- Aficionados of Augusta
- Ragweeds Smokes & Tokes
- iPuff Smoke & Vape
Roswell and Alpharetta
- Haze Vaporizers
- Alpha Smoke
- Paradise Vape
Kennesaw and Smyrna
- Cloud 9 Smoke & Vape
- One Luv Smoke Shop
CBD Oil in Georgia: Online Shops vs Local Stores
There are many pros and cons to shopping for CBD oil in a local brick and mortar store. If you know what you’re looking for when you shop in a store, then chances are you will walk away with a high-quality product in hand.
No matter where you go to buy your CBD oil — whether it’s online or in a store — you should do your research into CBD, brands, and products before spending your money on anything.
While it may be faster and easier to take a drive to your nearest CBD store, there are more advantages to shopping online from a trusted brand. For one, you can take all the time you need to do your research. Secondly, online brands offer special coupon codes, discounts, and subscription clubs to help offset the prices of their products.
When you shop for your CBD in a store, you’ll be confined by the store hours, subjected to a limited product selection, and may not be able to have your questions thoroughly answered by store employees. When shopping online, you can research until you’ve completely answered all of your questions, take as much time as you need to choose your products, and then have your order delivered directly to your doorstep.
Summary: Legality and Buying CBD Oil in Georgia
Even though there are many issues surrounding medicinal marijuana, you can still easily buy hemp-derived CBD oil in Georgia without any problems. Georgia has one of the most frequently evolving CBD markets in the country as well as a wealth of highly-rated stores where you can find top-quality CBD oil.
Whether you choose to buy your CBD oil online or in a store, you should remember that it’s essential to find a pure and potent product from a trusted and respected brand. Therefore, taking the time to do your research is one of the best ways to ensure that you’re able to avoid less reputable brands that sell cheaply made products.
