A local pharmacist appeared before commissioners Tuesday night to lobby for approval of a local zoning measure which would allow the business to dispense low-THC oil to patients on the state’s registry.
Pharmacist Ben Ross, who is the owner of Forest Heights Pharmacy in Statesboro, petitioned Bulloch County Commissioners to approve a zoning ordinance which would allow state law on the dispensary of the highly regulated low-THC oil to essentially ‘take effect’ in Bulloch County.
County officials told commissioners earlier in the evening that the language as proposed mirrors what is dictated by state law. The new change to state law follows the 2019 legislative session alterations in which pharmacies were provided the ability to become dispensaries of low-THC oil, which they were not previously authorized to do. The Georgia Commission on Medical Cannabis subsequently amended their rules earlier this year.
Ross told commissioners why he would like to see the ordinance go into effect. He emphasized that the cannabis in these programs is medicinal only, not recreational, and everyone who obtains a ‘prescription’ does so through the state registry. Ross also emphasized that the product does not come in leaf, vape, or edible form, only oil form.
“There are no tutti frutti gummy bears that your kids could accidentally take. These are capsules, these are oral tinctures, and these are topicals,” he said. “The state has made this legal.” Ross referenced the two locations in Pooler that recently opened as well, though those are not pharmacy locations and the commercialized type of businesses would not be permitted under the ordinance proposed in Bulloch County.
Ross highlighted to commissioners the innovative side of the proposal, saying the state has seen the value of the role a pharmacist can play in dispensing these medications. He said Georgia is the only state in the nation that is going to allow pharmacies to dispense the products.
Locally, Forest Heights Pharmacy would need a variance in Bulloch County due to its close proximity to a church. He had not done so as of the meeting date, because commissioners had not approved the local ordinance which would enable him to do that. Also required would be a license to dispense through the Georgia Board of Pharmacy, but he needs local zoning provisions in place before he can obtain a state license.
“The alternative would be a dispensary could come in, they wouldn’t have a pharmacist on staff, obviously this is what I was trained to do,” Ross said. “We collaborate with doctors, safety is important, we’re going to check drug interactions and all this. A dispensary, they could have an 18-year-old kid in there selling. So obviously we think the pharmacy method is the best method, but obviously I’m biased. I’m a pharmacist.”
Commissioner Curt Deal asked Ross to differentiate between THC oil and CBD oil, which is already allowed in Georgia and Bulloch County generally. Ross explained that CBD products can have up to 0.3% THC in them, while low-THC oil products – like what is proposed through the pharmacy dispensary – would have up to 5% THC. “Obviously, as you can tell, the CBD can be leaf form, you can have all the different gummies, the food and products, but these will not fall into that,” Ross explained.
“The state enables pharmacies to do this for either pharmaceutical purposes or medicinal purposes, according to state law, but you’re unable to dispense what the state allows you to because you need to have this zoning in place in order to get a state license. Is that correct?” County Manager Tom Couch asked.
Ross answered that that was correct.
“I think ultimately, that’s the simplicity of it and it’s very much distinct from these so-called commercial dispensaries you see elsewhere. If you approve this, only pharmacies could do this [in Bulloch County] according to state law,” Couch said.
Ultimately, Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the text amendments to the ordinances, which will allow Ross and others to apply for zoning variances, under the new language.
What is the difference between CBD & THC? THC is the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, whereas CBD is not (THC causes impairment). Research shows that CBD does, in fact have some medicinal benefit and people can take it for such purposes without any psychoactive effects. Hemp will not contain more than 0.3% THC. Marijuana can have up to 5% THC. NOT 0.5%, but 5% and thats more THC than what people in the 90’s were smoking. I do agree that if we’re going to allow something to be called medicine, that it should come from a pharmacy. I just don’t think we should sugarcoat it as if it cannot be harmful.