Georgia

Georgia was among the first Southern states to enact a comprehensive intoxicating hemp regulatory framework. The Georgia Hemp Farming Act (HB 213, 2019) established the initial licensing and cultivation regime after the 2018 Farm Bill. SB 494, signed by Governor Brian Kemp on April 30, 2024, added critical consumer-facing controls: 10mg total delta-9 THC per beverage container (12 fl oz), 10mg per serving and 300mg per package for edibles, 2mg/mL tinctures capped at 60mL, mandatory 21+ verification, and a categorical retail ban on hemp flower and unprocessed leaves under §2-23-4. The compliance formula in §2-23-3.1 aligns with federal — total THC = delta-9 + (0.877 × THCA) ≤ 0.3% dry weight — but Georgia’s serving-and-container caps are dramatically more permissive than the incoming federal 0.4mg/container ceiling. GDA enforcement since October 2024 has emphasized three areas: oversized SKUs above the caps, sales to under-21 customers, and packaging that mimics candy brands. Multiple SKU stop-sale orders and license actions have followed. Meanwhile, Georgia AG Chris Carr co-signed the October 24, 2025 NAAG letter to Congress asking for federal action on intoxicating hemp. In the 2026 legislative session, SB 33 and SB 254 emerged as significant threats — SB 33 would preemptively adopt the federal 0.4mg/container standard (effectively ending Georgia’s hemp beverage market); SB 254 would route all consumable hemp through the state’s three-tier alcohol distribution system, dramatically restructuring existing retail. Neither has passed, but industry advocates are actively lobbying against both. The federal Section 781 cliff on November 12, 2026 will independently eliminate most Georgia-legal SKUs regardless of state action.