FAQ
As an organization committed to clarity and community trust, we’ve created this FAQ page to help you better understand the mission and work of Georgians for Responsible Marijuana Policy. Here you’ll find straightforward answers about our initiatives, our evidence-based approach, and how we engage with partners across the state. Whether you’re a parent, policymaker, educator, or concerned citizen, we want you to have the information you need. Explore the questions below to learn more about what we do—and how you can be part of protecting Georgia’s youth and communities.
Who is Georgians for Responsible Marijuana Policy (GRMP)?
Georgians for Responsible Marijuana Policy (GRMP) is a statewide 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization founded in 2017 to promote balanced, evidence-based marijuana policy and education. GRMP works with physicians, prevention coalitions, other community organizations, and law enforcement to keep Georgia’s youth, adults, roads, communities, and workplaces safe. We support prevention, public awareness, and balanced regulation—not marijuana commercialization.
What does GRMP do?
GRMP educates policymakers, community leaders, and the public about the science and societal impacts of marijuana and intoxicating hemp products. Our work includes providing research-based briefings, promoting compassionate and safe medical practices, and advocating for safe driving, workplace accountability, prevention of cannabis use disorder, and treatment access for those with cannabis dependence.
What’s currently legal in Georgia when it comes to marijuana and hemp?
As of 2025, recreational marijuana remains illegal in Georgia. The Low-THC Oil Registry allows patients with 17 medical conditions to possess oil and 4 other products with up to 5% THC; smoking or vaping is prohibited. Hemp consumables (such as gummies and vapes under 0.3% delta-9 THC) became legal under Georgia SB 494 (2024) for adults 21 and older. However, Delta-8 THC and other versions of intoxicating hemp-derived chemicals such as Delta-9, Delta-11, and THC-P remain legal allowing up to 95% THC with no milligram limits due to a loophole in Federal and Georgia law.
Why is GRMP concerned about high-THC and hemp-derived products?
Unregulated, high-potency hemp-derived products such as Delta-8 THC gummies and vapes are widely available in Georgia gas stations and vape shops. Many are chemically altered and far stronger than naturally occurring cannabis, often reaching 90–95% THC. These products pose risks to youth safety, mental health, and poisonings for people of all ages, including toddlers who mistake them for food. The labels for these products, called “Certificates of Analysis,” are often hard to find, extremely complicated or not accurate.
What are GRMP’s main policy priorities?
GRMP supports closing Georgia’s loopholes that allow intoxicating hemp sales, strengthening medical safeguards within Georgia’s Low-THC (medical marijuana) program, and preventing recreational marijuana legalization while preparing the safest possible framework should it occur, and promoting prevention education, safe driving, mental health, workplace accountability, and treatment access.
How does marijuana use affect mental health?
Marijuana use, especially with high THC potency, has been linked to increased rates of anxiety, depression, psychosis, and suicide attempts (National Academies of Sciences, 2017). Adolescents, seniors, and veterans are particularly vulnerable, with frequent users showing double the risk of psychosis and higher rates of suicidal thoughts. GRMP promotes prevention education and early intervention to reduce these harms.
What are the risks of marijuana and hemp consumable use for youth and young adults?
Research shows that marijuana can alter brain development, lower IQ (National Academies of Sciences, 2017), and increase the risk of addiction. About 3 in 10 people who use marijuana develop cannabis use disorder (Hasin et al., 2015), and adolescents are 2–4 times more likely to develop it than adults (Connor et al., 2021). In Georgia, more teens enter treatment for marijuana than for all other drugs combined (SAMHSA, 2022).
Are marijuana and hemp consumables safe during pregnancy or breastfeeding?
No. THC crosses the placenta and is found in breast milk. Prenatal exposure is associated with lower birth weight, premature delivery, and later behavioral problems. Despite warnings from medical associations, research has shown that nearly 70% of Colorado dispensaries recommend marijuana products for nausea in the first trimester of pregnancy (Dickson et al., 2018), advice not supported by science. GRMP helps educate parents and healthcare providers on these risks.
Is “medical marijuana” safe and scientifically supported?
Georgia’s medical marijuana law permits oil and 4 other products with up to 5% THC, but most registered Georgia patients state they use it for chronic pain or PTSD—conditions lacking strong clinical evidence showing THC’s effectiveness. The FDA and major medical associations have not approved marijuana for these uses, citing inconsistent dosing, dependence risks, and lack of oversight.
.
How does marijuana affect driving and workplace safety?
THC slows reaction time, impairs coordination, and can remain in the brain for hours after use. Employees who test positive for marijuana have been shown to experience 55% more accidents, 85% more injuries, and 75% greater absenteeism (NIOSH, 2020). Marijuana is also the second most common drug detected in fatal crashes after alcohol (Brooks-Russell et al., 2024).
How can marijuana policy affect treatment and justice in Georgia?
When cities reduce marijuana penalties without linking them to treatment or education, they lose a vital opportunity for early intervention for those who have been abusing marijuana or have become addicted. Only two of nineteen Georgia localities with reduced penalties have formal diversion programs that include evidence-based drug education, assessments for cannabis use disorder, and voluntary referrals to treatment (GRMP internal analysis, 2023). GRMP promotes balanced reform that combines accountability with access to drug education and treatment resources such as drug court programs.
How does GRMP collaborate with Georgia’s law enforcement community?
GRMP works closely with sheriffs, police chiefs, and other public-safety leaders across Georgia to strengthen education on impaired driving, youth prevention, and community safety. Our partnerships emphasize science-based prevention and collaboration.
References (selected)
Brooks-Russell, A., Wrobel, J., Brown, T. et al. Effects of acute cannabis inhalation on reaction time, decision-making, and memory using a tablet-based application. J Cannabis Res 6, 3 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s42238-024-00215-1
Connor JP, Stjepanović D, Le Foll B, Hoch E, Budney AJ, Hall WD. Cannabis use and cannabis use disorder. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2021 Feb 25;7(1):16. doi: 10.1038/s41572-021-00247-4. PMID: 33627670; PMCID: PMC8655458. Dickson et al. (2018). Obstet Gynecol.
Dickson, Betsy MD; Mansfield, Chanel MPH; Guiahi, Maryam MD, MSc; Allshouse, Amanda A. MS; Borgelt, Laura M. PharmD; Sheeder, Jeanelle PhD; Silver, Robert M. MD; Metz, Torri D. MD, MS. Recommendations From Cannabis Dispensaries About First-Trimester Cannabis Use. Obstetrics & Gynecology 131(6):p 1031-1038, June 2018. | DOI: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000002619
Hasin DS, Saha TD, Kerridge BT, et al. Prevalence of marijuana use disorders in the United States between 2001-2002 and 2012-2013. JAMA Psychiatry. 2015;72(12):1235-1242. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2015.1858, as reported by the CDC at https://www.cdc.gov/cannabis/health-effects/cannabis-use-disorder.html.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2017). The health effects of cannabis and cannabinoids: The current state of evidence and recommendations for research. National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/24625
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. (2020, June 15). Cannabis and work: Implications, impairment, and the need for further research. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2020/06/15/cannabis-and-work/
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). (2023). Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-annual-national-report