By Eric Curl / Savannahagenda.com
Sept. 6, 2022 – An ordinance designed to regulate the sale and dispensing of medical marijuana will head to the Savannah City Council for consideration, after being recommended for approval by the Chatham County-Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission Tuesday.
The proposed ordinance comes after Georgia lawmakers passed legislation in 2021 that established licensing procedures for cannabis producers and allows medical marijuana treatment and the dispensing of products with low amounts of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana that produces a high.
According the the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission, the effects of cancer, seizure disorders, multiple sclerosis and other diseases can qualify residents for a required registration card to possess 20 fluid ounces of low-THC oil. The state commission has not issued retail dispensing licenses yet as it develops rules for such operations.
To prepare for the local impact of the legislation and pending dispensaries, the city council adopted a 180-day stay in March on the granting of any licenses or permits to sell or dispense medical marijuana. The stay was expected to provide time for the city to develop public safety plans and zoning criteria to ensure the dispensaries are permitted within the appropriate districts and do not compromise residents’ health and safety.
The ordinance defines dispensaries and establishes B-C (Community Business) as the zoning district where the businesses would be allowed. The dispensaries would be prohibited from operating within 2,000 feet of certain establishments, including day-care centers, schools and colleges, substance recovery facilities, places of worship, restaurants, bars and liquor stores. In addition, the dispensaries would have to be located in a stand-alone building and would not be allowed to feature flashing lights or electronic message boards.
While the regulations currently pertain to medicinal marijuana, Georgia residents have indicated support for going further. During the May primary elections, almost 81 percent of those who voted across the state supported legalizing recreational marijuana via a non-binding Democratic ballot question. That support was matched by Chatham County’s Democrats, with almost 80 percent, or 21,788, voters answering yes to the question.
While medicinal marijuana dispensaries are currently prohibited, a number of local businesses currently sell products infused with CBD, a chemical found in marijuana that lacks THC. Some of the CBD dispensaries offer for sale what appears to be marijuana buds, but the term “marijuana” is not used in the product description. The Hempire Hut for instance offers online shoppers the opportunity to purchase their “HHC Wedding Cake” “beautiful A-sized buds” of “greenhouse Indica” that will “put the happy in your ever after.” Hexahydrocannabinol, or “HHC,” is a cannabinoid that reportedly provides similar effects for some people to conventional THC products, according to WebMD.
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