Georgia’s Hemp Farming Act Is Now In Motion

The law went into effect Oct. 1.

Georgia state officials, including Gov. Brian Kemp, Commissioner Tyler Harper, and Colonel Billy Hitchens, announced the implementation of the Hemp Farming Act, Fox 5 Atlanta reports.

Under the law, residents under the age of 21 are banned from purchasing or being in possession of consumable hemp products. The law’s implementation marks new public safety restrictions on consumable hemp products in the state.

The act is designed to protect consumers, specifically minors, as there is a vast increase in the growth of the hemp industry.

Hemp retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers are now required to get a Georgia license to operate in the Peachtree state. Both Kemp and Harper praised the act, stating it guarantees the safety of residents, with a focus on children, by regulating hemp products with potentially dangerous hazards.

“Knowing these dangers, I want consumers to be aware of these new laws and know that all law enforcement officers in the State will be enforcing them starting October 1,” Kemp said, according to Atlanta News First.

In addition, Harper said the law, which is a response to the 2018 Farm Bill that allowed Congress to legalize hemp production, will be a focus of the Georgia Department of Agriculture and law enforcement agencies.

By definition, hemp is a cannabis plant that holds naturally small amounts of the delta-9 strain of THC, a psychoactive cannabinoid. In recent years, consumable hemp products such as oils, gummies, and beverages have been sold throughout Georgia and other states. The move is part of a bigger effort to give broader oversight to a business that healthcare industry leaders claim previously lacked stricter regulations.

“The consequence of that is the public health aspects were often given a backseat, and we’re now playing catch up for that,” Dr. Steven Teutsch, chair of the National Academies Committee, said.

The use of regular cannabis has skyrocketed in the past 30 years, going from less than one million people reporting almost daily usage in 1992 to more than 17 million in 2022. The increase is a result of weed being more accessible because of its legal status. Approximately two-thirds of people 12 and older labeled it “fairly easy” or “very easy” to get their hands on.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration classified cannabis as a Schedule I substance, meaning the government considers it to be a drug with high abuse potential.