ATLANTA – One of the two medical cannabis manufacturing companies awarded licenses to operate in Georgia thus far opened its first dispensary Wednesday during a dedication ceremony in Pooler.
Botanical Sciences began growing marijuana earlier this year and converting the leafy crop into low-THC cannabis oil at a plant in Glennville.
The General Assembly passed legislation in 2019 legalizing the cultivation of marijuana in Georgia under close supervision and the production of cannabis oil to treat patients suffering from a wide range of diseases.
But state licensing has been slowed by lawsuits from companies that were denied licenses and charged that the selection process was flawed.
“Patients throughout the state have been waiting for this critical form of medicine for years, so being able to provide them with access through our Pooler dispensary is a key milestone for our company,” Gary Long, CEO of Botanical Sciences, said Wednesday.
“We look forward to being part of the Pooler community and offering patients the exceptional treatment, information and service they deserve.”
The state agency that oversees the medical cannabis program has granted Class A manufacturing licenses thus far to Botanical Sciences and Trulieve Georgia, allowing them to grow marijuana in up to 100,000 square feet of indoor space. Four other Class B licenses for 50,000 square feet have yet to be awarded because of the legal conflict.
Trulieve has opened dispensaries in Marietta, Macon, Newnan, and Pooler. Botanical Sciences plans to open five more dispensaries soon in Cobb, DeKalb, Henry, and Richmond counties.
Separate from those dispensaries, the 2019 law also authorizes independent pharmacies to sell cannabis oil to eligible patients.
The list of diseases that qualify patients for cannabis oil includes end-stage cancer, seizure disorders, AIDS, post-traumatic stress disorder, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, sickle-cell anemia, autism, and Alzheimer’s disease.
ATLANTA – The Port of Brunswick handled more than 723,500 units of Roll-on/Roll-off cargo during the fiscal year that ended June 30, an all-time high and an increase of 18% over the previous fiscal year.
Most of that record volume was imports, which were up 24% in fiscal 2023, compared to a 7% increase in exports.
“The Port of Brunswick achieved strong growth in the import and export of heavy machinery, while auto manufacturers’ improved microchip supply also meant an increase in vehicles,” said Griff Lynch, president and CEO of the Georgia Ports Authority.
On the other hand, units of containerized cargo handled by the ports of Savannah and Brunswick declined by 6.7% during the last fiscal year from the record high set in fiscal 2022.
However, when compared to the pre-pandemic fiscal year of 2019, containerized cargo volume was up by 20%. The ports’ compound annual growth rate in container units since fiscal 2019 is 4.7%.
“Georgia ports’ steady long-term growth is thanks to outstanding customer service and superior global connections,” ports authority board Chairman Kent Fountain said.
Another highlight of the last fiscal year was record trade at the authority’s Appalachian Regional Port near Chatsworth. The inland terminal handled its highest volumes ever, with 33,700 rail lifts, an increase of more than 18% over fiscal 2022.
ATLANTA – Gov, Brian Kemp is calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a 1984 ruling that requires federal courts to defer to government agencies’ interpretations of the statutes they enforce.
The justices agreed Monday to hear a case involving the power of the U.S. Commerce Department to require herring fishing operators to pay for federal monitors on their boats.
Kemp has weighed in by filing an amicus – or, “friend of the court” – brief arguing the nearly four decade-old decision in a lawsuit Chevron U.S.A. filed against the Natural Resources Defense Council has been interpreted over the years to take authority away from state agencies, leading to regulatory instability for citizens and businesses.
“As chief executive of the state of Georgia, Governor Kemp knows the damage federal regulations can have when federal agencies extend their regulatory purview through self-serving statutory interpretations.,” David Dove, Kemp’s executive counsel, wrote in the brief.
“Governor Kemp has a vested interest in ensuring the will of Georgia’s voters is carried out and not undermined by bureaucratic edicts with national effect. He also knows the difficulty of enacting statewide, comprehensive policy measures in the face of unpredictable intrusion by federal agencies into areas traditionally reserved for state power.”
“[The Chevron case] has fundamentally altered Americans’ relationship with the federal government and has enabled agencies to regulate every facet of daily life,” Kemp added. “Overturning [the 1984 ruling] is a critical step towards cutting burdensome regulations and ensuring that Georgia’s policies benefit the will of its citizens and not the dictates of bureaucrats in Washington.”
The 1984 decision’s supporters say an adverse decision in the current case would hamper the Biden administration’s efforts to address key issues such as climate change through regulation.
The Supreme Court’s conservative supermajority hasn’t hesitated to overturn long-establishment precedents established by earlier versions of the court, including last year’s ruling overturning the constitutional right to an abortion and – more recently – getting rid of affirmative action in college admissions policies.
The case the Supreme Court plans to take up is a lawsuit Loper Bright Enterprises, a New Jersey-based herring fishing company, filed against Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.
ATLANTA – A new nonprofit has launched to help Georgians contribute to a state tax credit program aimed at helping young adults aging out of the foster care system.
Fostering Success Act Inc., named after legislation the General Assembly passed last year, will help taxpayers submit applications to the Georgia Department of Revenue to qualify for the program.
Individual taxpayers can receive dollar-for-dollar state income tax credits for up to $2,500 per year contributed to the program, while married couples filing jointly can receive up to $5,000. Corporate donations are limited to 10% of the company’s annual tax liability.
However, contributors may apply to exceed those limits under a change that has occurred because the program has not reached its $20 million cap. The legislation took effect in January with the beginning of the 2023 tax year.
About 700 young Georgians age out of the foster care system each year, most with no family to return to after they leave the system. Contributions to the tax credit program will be used for “wraparound” services – including housing, food, and transportation – to help support these young people while they attend college or technical school.
“This is a great opportunity for any Georgia taxpayer – individual or corporation – to designate where their tax dollars are spent,” said Heidi Carr, executive director of Fostering Success Act Inc. “Through the Fostering Success Act … we will be able to do more to reduce poverty, homelessness and despair than any program ever before.”
Applications to the revenue department are accepted on a first-come basis. Once approved, taxpayers have 60 days from the date of approval to send their contribution check or pay online.
ATLANTA – Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has issued an investor alert warning consumers to watch out for a cryptocurrency scam known as “Pig-butchering.”
The scam, which originated in Southeast Asia, involves a predator building the victim’s confidence through casual conversation that leads to the scammer convincing the victim they will help them make money.
“Pig-butchering” refers to the constant feed of information to the victim as the scammer “fattens” the victim with the illusion of opportunities for a great return on their investment.
“Everyday Georgians, especially retirees, are falling victim to unscrupulous con artists miles and miles away,” Raffensperger said Monday. “We are doing everything in our power to protect the hard-earned savings of good, honest people.”
Scam artists are contacting victims through social media, text messages, email and messaging apps, using publicly available data to target their victims. The scammer may pretend to be an old friend, a trusted public figure, colleague, or even a prospective romantic partner.
The conversation may begin slowly to center around investments or cryptocurrency. The scammer’s goal is not to ask for money but coax the victim to invest in a fake trading website or platform that shows a bogus balance with lots of profit.
Allowing the victim to withdraw profits early creates the illusion of a trusted process. Scammers may even “lend” money to facilitate larger trades.
Once the scammer decides to make his or her move, the website will require more money to cover withdrawal fees or taxes. The scammer then runs off with the funds, never to be heard from again.
Consumers who suspect such a scam may be taking place should immediately stop transferring money to the suspected scammer and report the crime to their bank and local law enforcement agency.
For more information, contact the secretary of state’s office at registrations@sos.ga.gov or call 470-312-2640.
