Washington, DC: A recent letter from the US Drug Enforcement Administration is warning pharmacies that they may not legally engage in the dispensing of non-FDA-approved marijuana products.
The letter, dated November 27th, comes just weeks after several Georgia pharmacies applied with the state’s Board of Pharmacy to dispense state-approved plant-derived low-THC products.
Low-THC/high CBD products have been legal to possess under state law since 2015. However, regulators failed to approve licensed providers or dispensaries until earlier this year. Last month, a handful of independent pharmacies reportedly began dispensing cannabis products to qualified patients. About 14,000 Georgians are registered to access cannabis products for a variety of ailments, including autism, cancer, Crohn’s disease, seizure disorders, and Tourette syndrome.
The DEA letter states: “A DEA-registered pharmacy may only dispense controlled substances in Schedules II-V of the Controlled Substances Act. Neither marijuana nor THC can lawfully be possessed, handled, or dispensed by any DEA-registered pharmacy.”
By contrast, the letter acknowledges that products derived from hemp plants containing 0.3 percent THC or less may be sold on store shelves because they are no longer regulated under the Controlled Substances Act.
Local news outlets have reported that some pharmacies have abandoned plans to dispense low-THC products after receiving the letter.
Regulators pushed to allow independent pharmacies to stock plant-derived cannabis products because there are so few licensed dispensaries currently operating in the state.