by (Recorder of Georgia) When lawmakers reassemble in January for the 2026 legislative session, medical cannabis and recreational hemp are probably going to be front of mind.
Tuesday marked the inaugural meeting of a House research committee tasked with examining the effects of cannabis use at the state Capitol. Before putting together a report on formal policy recommendations, the committee will have three more hearings between now and October to review medical studies, gather expert evidence, and compare Georgia’s marijuana regulations to those of other states.
The committee will examine two different policy subsets: commercial hemp products, which are governed by the Georgia Hemp Farming Act and the federal 2018 Farm Bill, and medical cannabis, which is managed by the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission. The committee is made up of lawmakers, agency leaders, medical professionals, and regular citizens.Representative Mark Newton (Jill Nolin/Georgia Recorder) is shown in the file photo.
“This committee has some blurring, which occurs because we’re looking at, really, two different policies,” said state Representative Mark Newton, a Republican from Augusta who is also a physician and the committee’s chair. We were given two areas to work on in this Blue Ribbon commission: hemp policies and medical marijuana.
During the 2025 session, which also celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the Haleigh’s Hope Act, bills pertaining to medicinal cannabis and hemp drinks gained significant attention. The law established a new research program aimed at examining the effects of the drug, established the licensing commission, and made it lawful to possess low-THC oil for the first time in Georgia. Companies were able to manufacture and sell the oil within the state thanks to later legislation, but proponents contend that Georgia’s present rules fall short in providing patients with the necessary medical cannabis forms.
According to recent data from the state Department of Public Health, Georgia’s low-THC oil program has grown gradually but steadily, and as of right now, there are over 33,700 patients, 2,300 caregivers, and 700 physicians participating. Though individuals with ailments like cancer, epilepsy disorders, and Parkinson’s disease are also eligible to participate, over 75% of people on the list have been diagnosed with intractable pain and post-traumatic stress disorder. Other Southern states like Mississippi and Louisiana, which have enrollment figures near 50,000 despite having significantly smaller state populations, similarly exceed Georgia’s numbers.
During the most recent session, at least four legislation pertaining to medical cannabis and hemp products were introduced; however, none of them were able to pass both chambers before the Legislature dissolved in April.
The regulation of recreational products, such as THC-infused drinks, which are chemically similar to medical cannabis but more widely accessible to consumers due to their classification under the Georgia Hemp Farming Act and the federal 2018 Farm Bill, will also be a topic of discussion for senators on the Study Committee on Intoxicating Cannabinoids in Consumable Hemp Products. That committee’s inaugural meeting has not yet been made public.
The next meeting of the House committee is scheduled for August 21 in Augusta.
