Low-THC oil dispensing: OFFICIAL STATEMENT from the Georgia Pharmacy Association
The Georgia legislature recently approved the dispensing of low-THC oil medications within the state of Georgia by manufacture-owned dispensaries and independent pharmacies. The Georgia Board of Pharmacy promulgated rules and registration processes for pharmacies to help patients who have been physician-diagnosed and approved by the Department of Public Health for several neurological conditions.
In the past week, pharmacies in Georgia holding DEA licenses received the following guidance by email and letter from the Drug Enforcement Administration:
“All DEA registrants, including DEA-registered pharmacies, are required to abide by all relevant federal laws and regulations. A DEA-registered pharmacy may only dispense controlled substances in Schedules II-V of the Controlled Substances Act. Neither marijuana or THC can lawfully be possessed, handled, or dispensed by any DEAregistered pharmacy.”
The Georgia Pharmacy Association (GPhA) is working diligently to ensure Georgia pharmacies, state regulators, and lawmakers are aware of this guidance. The current conflict between state and federal law puts Georgia’s pharmacies in a difficult position and GPhA is putting forth maximum effort to help provide timely information and assist in navigating this issue. It is GPhA’s hope that a path forward can be found so that patients utilizing low-THC oil for medical purposes have access to pharmacists to help to determine proper dosage, monitor for adverse effects, prevent drug-drug interactions, and perform consultations and assessments as needed.
The GPhA was founded to help Georgia Pharmacists in their role as healthcare providers. The GPhA will continue to work with the State of Georgia, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Georgia Cannabis Commission and prescribing physicians to resolve this situation. Pharmacists and the Georgia Pharmacy Association have, and will always have, Georgia patients and their best health as our priority.
For the Georgia Pharmacy Association:
Mahlon L. Davidson, RPh
Interim CEO
Jonathan G. Marquess, PharmD
VP of The Academy of Independent Pharmacy
