Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
Mike Bragg waited a while before telling his family in south Georgia about his new business growing medical cannabis. The former commercial real estate agent, whose business went under early in the 2008 recession, knew his relatives would think he was nuts.
Bragg, an Albany native who now lives and works in Silicon Valley, is not looking so much like a renegade these days. A commission, created by the legislature and appointed by the governor, met recently to discuss the possibility of seeding a cultivation program for medical cannabis in Georgia.
Bragg, one of a handful of manufacturers who gave presentations at the meeting on Aug. 26, said he sees potential for homegrown medical cannabis in Georgia, and agricultural communities including Tifton could play a role.
The state commission will meet a few more times this year before suggesting how to regulate medical cannabis to lawmakers. That may include a proposal to grow and produce locally the cannabis treatments needed by people with one of eight qualifying medical conditions, which include seizure disorders, late-stage cancer and Parkinson’s disease.
Proponents of medical cannabis say, absent congressional action, growing it in state is the only way to protect those who otherwise risk arrest by bringing it into Georgia. While use of cannabis oil with low levels of the chemical THC may be legal here, federal law still prohibits the transportation of the substance across state lines.
In-state production could create opportunities for those who already work in agriculture, particularly if they have the skills needed to grow the strains of medical cannabis needed locally, said Rep. Allen Peake, R-Macon, who sponsored this year’s bill.
But the extent of those opportunities depends on what, if anything, the General Assembly does next.
Peake said any additional rules allowing for cannabis production will likely be “very limited in scope and very, very tightly regulated."
Peake said he envisions two scenarios: One might allow licensees to grow, process and distribute medical cannabis across the state. Or, the state might take ownership of the product and control its distribution.
He said he’s anxious to see what the commission recommends.
So is Bragg.
“As soon as you get the licenses, the investors line up,” Bragg said in an interview.
Georgia’s emphasis on strict regulation will prove attractive to investors, especially those who are weary of the wild, uncontrolled market found in California, Bragg predicted.
He envisions operations consolidated in a few areas of the state, including a cluster of greenhouses in Tifton, which already has a strong agricultural research presence.
In California, Bragg grows and produces a variety of cannabis strains through a cooperative called CBD Pharms. Since 2013, the 41-year-old has run those operations with his wife, Lisa, who is also from Albany.
They grow plants indoors in a climate-controlled setting, then sell their products through a medical dispensary.
Bragg said they broke even last year.
“When you do things legally, it’s a lot different than people envision, that you’re raking in mounds of cash. That’s not the case,” he said.
He and his wife recently began focusing on cannabidiol, an extract widely used for medical purposes. They formed a company, Evolve Therapeutics, with plans to develop facilities in other states, particularly Georgia.
To support cannabis production in Georgia, at least 50,000 of the estimated half-million people who are eligible for cannabis treatment need to enroll in a state registry, Bragg said.
As of late August, nearly 200 were signed up.
“We can produce it, but if it just sits on a shelf, then that’s a problem,” he said.
Bragg said he is more encouraged by the number of physicians – nearly 170 as of late August – who are signed up to certify patients for cannabis oil treatment.
Bragg said California's medical community is "totally on board" with the use of cannabis.
In Georgia, many state officials, including those who championed this year's legislation, have expressed apprehension about expanding a program so early in its infancy.
The patient registry just opened in June.
“We did something unprecedented,” said Sen. Greg Kirk, R-Americus, who was influential in the passage of this year’s legislation opening the door for the use of medical cannabis. “It’s way too early to tell what the results are.”
Kirk, who represents Tift County, said the earliest he can see the issue coming back up again is 2017, and even that may be too soon.
As for in-state cultivation, Kirk said he believes any type of crop should be developed through the university system and possibly a public-private partnership.
That’s if it happens at all.
“I’m not sure we’re ever going to get there or that we even need to,” he said.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Georgia native sees potential in growing 'pot' - Moultrie Observer: Local News
Author: Jill Nolin
Contact: Contact Author
Photo Credit: Reuters/Mario Anzuoni
Website: Moultrie Observer
Bragg, an Albany native who now lives and works in Silicon Valley, is not looking so much like a renegade these days. A commission, created by the legislature and appointed by the governor, met recently to discuss the possibility of seeding a cultivation program for medical cannabis in Georgia.
Bragg, one of a handful of manufacturers who gave presentations at the meeting on Aug. 26, said he sees potential for homegrown medical cannabis in Georgia, and agricultural communities including Tifton could play a role.
The state commission will meet a few more times this year before suggesting how to regulate medical cannabis to lawmakers. That may include a proposal to grow and produce locally the cannabis treatments needed by people with one of eight qualifying medical conditions, which include seizure disorders, late-stage cancer and Parkinson’s disease.
Proponents of medical cannabis say, absent congressional action, growing it in state is the only way to protect those who otherwise risk arrest by bringing it into Georgia. While use of cannabis oil with low levels of the chemical THC may be legal here, federal law still prohibits the transportation of the substance across state lines.
In-state production could create opportunities for those who already work in agriculture, particularly if they have the skills needed to grow the strains of medical cannabis needed locally, said Rep. Allen Peake, R-Macon, who sponsored this year’s bill.
But the extent of those opportunities depends on what, if anything, the General Assembly does next.
Peake said any additional rules allowing for cannabis production will likely be “very limited in scope and very, very tightly regulated."
Peake said he envisions two scenarios: One might allow licensees to grow, process and distribute medical cannabis across the state. Or, the state might take ownership of the product and control its distribution.
He said he’s anxious to see what the commission recommends.
So is Bragg.
“As soon as you get the licenses, the investors line up,” Bragg said in an interview.
Georgia’s emphasis on strict regulation will prove attractive to investors, especially those who are weary of the wild, uncontrolled market found in California, Bragg predicted.
He envisions operations consolidated in a few areas of the state, including a cluster of greenhouses in Tifton, which already has a strong agricultural research presence.
In California, Bragg grows and produces a variety of cannabis strains through a cooperative called CBD Pharms. Since 2013, the 41-year-old has run those operations with his wife, Lisa, who is also from Albany.
They grow plants indoors in a climate-controlled setting, then sell their products through a medical dispensary.
Bragg said they broke even last year.
“When you do things legally, it’s a lot different than people envision, that you’re raking in mounds of cash. That’s not the case,” he said.
He and his wife recently began focusing on cannabidiol, an extract widely used for medical purposes. They formed a company, Evolve Therapeutics, with plans to develop facilities in other states, particularly Georgia.
To support cannabis production in Georgia, at least 50,000 of the estimated half-million people who are eligible for cannabis treatment need to enroll in a state registry, Bragg said.
As of late August, nearly 200 were signed up.
“We can produce it, but if it just sits on a shelf, then that’s a problem,” he said.
Bragg said he is more encouraged by the number of physicians – nearly 170 as of late August – who are signed up to certify patients for cannabis oil treatment.
Bragg said California's medical community is "totally on board" with the use of cannabis.
In Georgia, many state officials, including those who championed this year's legislation, have expressed apprehension about expanding a program so early in its infancy.
The patient registry just opened in June.
“We did something unprecedented,” said Sen. Greg Kirk, R-Americus, who was influential in the passage of this year’s legislation opening the door for the use of medical cannabis. “It’s way too early to tell what the results are.”
Kirk, who represents Tift County, said the earliest he can see the issue coming back up again is 2017, and even that may be too soon.
As for in-state cultivation, Kirk said he believes any type of crop should be developed through the university system and possibly a public-private partnership.
That’s if it happens at all.
“I’m not sure we’re ever going to get there or that we even need to,” he said.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Georgia native sees potential in growing 'pot' - Moultrie Observer: Local News
Author: Jill Nolin
Contact: Contact Author
Photo Credit: Reuters/Mario Anzuoni
Website: Moultrie Observer
