Two companies given OK to produce medical cannabis

After a long legal slog, two companies have been given the green light to grow and produce medical cannabis — specifically, low-THC oil — in Georgia.

Why it matters: People living with serious medical conditions have waited years to access legal low-THC oil to find relief.

• The state's system to license growers and distributors of homegrown medical cannabis opens an untapped and highly competitive market.

Details: Tuesday, Botanical Sciences LLC and Trulieve Georgia Inc. — two of the original winners of the process — were officially awarded licenses by the state's medical marijuana commission. The unanimous decision follows more than a year of protests from rejected applicants.

• Botanical Sciences plans to operate in a 100,000 square-foot facility in Glennville, per a 2021 AJC report.
• Trulieve's "seed-to-sale" facility of the same size is under construction in Adel, according to a company statement.

Catch up quick: Georgia legalized the use of low-THC oil for medical purposes in 2015. Under the law, people living with advanced cancer, seizures, and other select conditions could join a state registry.

Yes, but: While the state passed a 2019 law allowing for a limited number of licenses to produce medical cannabis, the process has been stalled in court.

• In 2019, the General Assembly created a system for licensing indoor growing and production operations. Nearly 70 companies applied for six licenses.

Intrigue: Earlier on Wednesday, judges in McIntosh and Dougherty counties halted the commission from issuing the four remaining licenses set aside for smaller companies, per 11 Alive.

What's next: Licensed operations must be up and running within a year, according to state law.