Ga. pot regulator inches toward licenses as Tybee considers loosening law

ATLANTA - A Georgia regulator is getting closer to issuing licenses to grow medical marijuana, but isn’t quite there yet.

The Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission on Wednesday voted to finalize scores given to grower applications. Those scores will be used to award licenses, but the commission stopped short of awarding them, saying it would act at its next meeting after checking with applicants.

The commission previously promised to issue licenses by June 30. Patients and applicants have grown frustrated by the wait.

Nearly 70 companies have applied for six licenses to be issued. Georgia legalized low-THC oil for people with medical conditions in 2015 but didn’t create a legal framework for production until last year.

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The Tybee Island City Council voted on the first reading of an ordinance that would change the punishment for marijuana possession in the city. The ordinance would make possession of up to two ounces of marijuana a ticketing offence instead of jail time. Tybee Island leaders say they are the first city in Georgia to consider such an ordinance. Some council members want to look at records and remove similar offences from past records. Officials say they would consider removing those charges from offenders in the last six months to a year.