Axios Atlanta

August 27, 2024
๐ It's Tuesday and National Peach Day. Who's got the best peach cobbler in town?
โ๏ธ Today's weather: Plenty o' sunshine. High around 94.
Situational awareness: A Republican-led state Senate study committee focused on "protecting women's sports" will hold its first meeting today at 9am.
- The list of speakers includes athletes who have complained about competing against trans women. Watch live here.
Invest in trusted reporting by becoming an Axios Atlanta member today.
Today's newsletter is 800 words โ a 3-minute read.
1 big thing: Your high is about to change
A new Georgia law to create rules and regulations on the state's growing legal hemp industry is going to change the way you eat gummies and drink CBD beverages. But just relax, OK, man.
Why it matters: Medical marijuana is tightly regulated in Georgia, but legal variations of cannabis โ including products infused with delta-9 THC, one of the plant's cannabinoids that people use to relax, relieve pain and get high โ have become big business.
- After years of relatively few regulations in Georgia, the pendulum is swinging back weeks before a new law takes effect on Oct. 1.
Driving the news: State agricultural officials are accepting public comments until Sept. 6 to finetune a new law that establishes a legal age of 21, creates testing and registration requirements, and caps the amount of delta-9 THC in the products.
- Under the new regulations, hemp "flower" โ which looks and smells nearly identical to marijuana โ is planta non grata. Its sale would be prohibited in Georgia.
- The same goes for food products infused with delta-9 THC, such as chocolates.
The intrigue: The proposed rules and limits could face potential legal challenges, Thomas Church, an Atlanta attorney who represents CBD stores and companies, told Axios.
- He said the state law might also conflict with the federal law that legalized hemp CBD, opening loopholes to begin cooking the alphabet soup of products like CBD, CBG, THC-A, delta-8 and the like.
Ripple effect: Companies must tweak their products' strength and packaging to meet the tight turnaround time and comply with the law, Joe Salome, the cofounder and managing partner of the Georgia Hemp Company, told Axios.
Zoom out: Salome said the new rules could clear up legal confusion and attract new retailers โ think major grocers, package stores and sports arenas, for example โ and established cannabis companies already selling in other states.
What's next: After considering written comments, officials will hold a hearing to discuss and approve the new regulations.
2. In the weeds: New limits
Under the proposed rules, hemp products will have a maximum amount of delta-9 THC, the cannabinoid that can make users feel high.
๐ฌ Gummies: The sweet or sour treats cannot contain more than 10mg of delta-9 THC per serving or more than 150mg of delta-9 THC per package.
๐ฅค Beverages: The fast-growing segment of the CBD market is now capped at 5mg of delta-9 THC per serving.
- The drinks cannot exceed one single serving per container, which rules define as no more than 12 ounces.
๐งด Topicals: Creams, lotions and ointments cannot contain more than 1,000mg of delta-9 THC per package.
๐ง Tinctures: Oils people can administer via droppers cannot contain more than 1mg of delta-9 THC "per serving nor exceed 10 fluid ounces per container."
- The proposed rules define a "serving" as 2 fluid ounces.
3. Georgia Tech is indeed ramblin'


Georgia Tech ranks sixth in college football teams that will rack up the most miles traveling for games during the 2024 season.
- That includes the nearly 4,000 miles Tech and Florida State traveled last week to play Saturday in Dublin, Ireland, where the Yellow Jackets pulled off a surprise upset over the Seminoles.
Why it matters: The amount of time these athletes spend bouncing back and forth between time zones can affect academic performance and disrupt the body's circadian rhythm.
- That travel can "have profound effects on physical and mental health and performance," according to a white paper published in November 2023 by physicians and sleep scientists.
4. Hotel Granada opens in Midtown
A 100-year-old historic building turned hotel in the heart of Midtown Atlanta is now open after a two-year renovation and restoration project.
The latest: Hotel Granada at 1302 W. Peachtree Street NW has been transformed into "a sophisticated respite for all who enter through its Spanish colonial archways," according to its press release.
What they're saying: Alfonce McKinney, the hotel's general manager, said they are "thrilled to reintroduce this iconic landmark... where classic Southern inspirations mix with an old-world European feel to create an entirely new energy."
The vibe: The renovated 120-room hotel includes a restaurant called Pom Court, a meeting space, and a cocktail bar that's in the works.
Flashback: The property originally opened in 1924 as Granada Apartments, according to real estate firm Hodges Ward Elliott.
- It was later converted to hotel use in 1984 and reopened as Artmore Hotel.
5. Five-ish Points: Outkast sues over "ATLiens"
๐งโโ๏ธ Outkast has filed a federal lawsuit against dance music group ATLiens alleging trademark infringement. (WSB)
๐จ Georgia lawmakers and civil rights leaders are asking Gov. Brian Kemp to discipline three State Election Board members for allegedly violating the Open Meetings Act. (Fox 5)
๐๏ธ The popular Paces Mill Unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Center will soon close and undergo a $15.8 million renovation. Supporters are holding a groundbreaking today at 9am. (Urbanize)
๐ค Kristal is exercising her right wrist to help with a TFCC injury.
๐บ Thomas is enjoying zoning out to "Building Off the Grid."
- The show has a similar fly-on-the-wall perspective to "Grand Designs," another favorite show, but with more focus on sustainable construction.
This newsletter was edited by Michael Graff and copy edited by Natasha Danielle Smith and Anjelica Tan.
Sign up for Axios Atlanta






