ADEL, Ga. (WALB) — After a long delay, a medical cannabis facility has finally cut the ribbon on its new facility here in southern Georgia.
The Georgia Commission on Medical Cannabis Access recently granted licenses to two companies.
Trulieve is one of two companies now permitted to grow medical cannabis in the state of Georgia. They say they have 124 facilities in Florida that serve a lot of patients, and they’re hoping for the same in Georgia.
“We pledged to Georgia patients. You know, there are over 25,000 patients already registered in the state of Georgia who have been waiting years to get the product. When we arrived, as soon as we got this award, we got to work right away,” said Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers. “.
Many people here say this is a huge milestone for the state.
“Let’s go back a few years you know. Your law enforcement has been taught, with all due respect, let’s fight drug use. Well, we had to re-educate us to agree that this is a medical need,” said Paddy Duke, Mayor Adel.
Trulieve CEO says obtaining a license to produce cannabis in Georgia has been one of their primary goals through 2021.
“We will be fully committed to investing and creating not just, and this matters, not just jobs. But good jobs. Competitive, well-paying jobs, in a thriving new industry,” Rivers said.
Georgia’s 26th jurisdiction was the first in the state to legalize medical marijuana in 2015. Today is the first day that Trulieve opens its first production facility in Georgia.
Unfortunately, Rivers says it’s not unusual for licensing operations to have some lawsuits running around, but she hopes it won’t last.
“Obviously, we know the process here in Georgia is frankly no different than a lot of other states. A long process to get to that point once we can get the green light. The committees have done a really great job and I hope we can move quickly,” Rivers said. In that too.”
The 2019 Georgia Hope Act gave the commission access to search for a company to launch a medical cannabis program in the state.
“I think bringing this production facility to Georgia is a step in the right direction. So I believe the Trulieve Adel production facility will create many jobs in the region and have a significant impact on overall economic development,” said Lisa Pinckney, president of Trulieve Georgia.
Rivers says that despite the long delay in obtaining a license to produce cannabis, they are working for their patients. So expanding here was something that came naturally to them and something that they kept pushing for.
“It can really be a win-win for both the company and the community. And Cook County really had those qualities. We really take pride in our company in creating jobs for people. Not again, a job here today and gone tomorrow,” Rivers said.
Mayor Duke says this facility will make a good economic impact on the Adel District and the Cook District.
By all means, yes you will, and for the state, you will as well. We understand that there will be 60-80 jobs that will be offered here. “And watching faculty in Gaston County, Florida, you know, these are going to be fairly well-paid jobs,” Duke said.
COVID-19 has doubled the number of patients, Truelev says. So they hope to open 10 facilities in Georgia by July 2023.
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