Georgia veterans applaud revamped state medical marijuana program

Stronger medical marijuana is coming in July to ailing Georgians, a major regulatory shift hailed by the nation’s oldest veterans organization.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars has long advocated for medical cannabis access for former service members who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder or chronic pain. It’s seen as a safer alternative to opioids.

Lawmakers passed the Putting Georgia’s Patients First Act in April, removing the restrictive 5% THC potency cap on the state’s medical marijuana and permitting it to be inhaled through e-cigarettes.

At the annual Georgia VFW Convention held June 13, veterans flocked to the Macon Convention Center to not only discuss yearly business but also hear from vendors about services and products. Trulieve, Macon’s sole state-approved medical marijuana dispensary, was there.

In the past, Mike Coles, a member of the Warm Springs VFW, has been prescribed oxycontin for back pain. He said medical marijuana is a much better alternative.

“This is a cleaner, safer option,” he said.

Dr. Tiffani Forbes has been a registered cannabis doctor in the state of Georgia for the past five years. She said the new changes signal “a huge step” for patients.

While the process for procuring a medical marijuana card will remain the same, those with a wider range of qualifying ailments will now have more “potent selections” at their disposal.

“It’s just opening up a whole new world for patients to receive care,” Forbes said.

Patients can qualify for medical cannabis cards, issued through the Georgia Department of Public Health, after a doctor’s evaluation. There’s a one-time $30 fee. Veterans affairs clinicians cannot prescribe cannabis, and benefits do not cover the cost of cannabis.

Patients must have a qualifying medical ailment. In addition to PTSD and intractable pain, conditions include lupus, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, cancer and Crohn’s disease.

Forbes said prospective patients should consult with a medical doctor who is a cannabis expert to talk about how it could impact their personal health. Using vape products, in particular, could increase blood pressure or bring on shortness of breath.

Finding a cannabis doctor can be difficult with only roughly 500 licensed professionals in the state, Forbes added.

“Like with any medication, there are risky benefits,” she said.

Justin Howe, a grand commander with the Georgia VFW from Clayton, said he’s already set up an appointment to see a doctor to get his medical cannabis card.

He said he’s been on eight different medications to combat chronic pain related to his service, but could get down to just two with the help of medical marijuana.

The state’s dispensaries will be better than going to “swanky vape shops,” Howe said.

“It helps me (to be) able to sleep at night without waking up in the morning … tired because the medicine hasn’t worn off,” he said.