Even though the sale of medical marijuana oil has been legalized in Georgia, it is still a crime under federal law, the court said.
About 70 applicants are waiting on the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission to award licenses to six companies.
These companies will have one year to begin operations.
Medical marijuana oil companies need attorneys to make sure they’re following Georgia’s laws, said Kevin Quirk, CEO for Harvest Connect, one of the companies that applied for a state license.
Of the more than 40 states that have legalized the use of medical marijuana, about half amended their rules to allow lawyers to counsel clients in the cannabis industry.
The court noted that the State Bar’s request was not limited to conduct related to medical marijuana oil.
Companies also would be hard-pressed to retain out-of-state lawyers to assist them in Georgia, Davis added.
“We wanted to do it in a legal manner, and we went about it the right way,” said Gravley, a Republican from Douglasville who has sponsored medical marijuana oil bills.