MACON, Ga. — Not sure how to apply for a medical cannabis card?
Trulieve, the Macon medical marijuana dispensary, is having an event Saturday to help folks who qualify.
One Macon family needs one.
Kelly Murray's 18-year-old daughter Grace is going to Wesleyan College in the fall. Doing well in school has gotten her a nursing scholarship.
However, Grace has a health issue teachers might not see.
“‘Mom, I've had to deal with it for my whole life,” Murray explains– it’s something her daughter says all the time.
Epilepsy. Grace has had it since she was seven.
“Once she was around 12, she started getting grand mal seizures,” Murray said.
Grace would shake, lose consciousness, and when she came to, she couldn't remember where she was or who she was with for a while after.
“I don’t think there's words to see your child suffering. The fact that she's seizure free for almost three years is a blessing," Murray said.
How is this possible?
Murray says it’s because of medical marijuana. For $300 a month, cannabis oil reduces Grace's seizures.
“She absolutely cannot go without it,” Murray said.
She says their medical marijuana card expired two years ago. However, even with it she says there wasn’t a way to use the card because there was no place to buy the medication in the first place.
For years they've been buying it online or in other states, and shipping delays each month keep them on edge.
“That’s resulted in us scrambling to get on the phone and find mothers who will help us,” Murray said.
Dr. Trista Marshall will be the onsite doctor for Saturday's event to help folks get medical marijuana cards.
“The relief that people who are suffering can get from it is just something that I wanted to be able to assist with,” she said. “We've had a lot of good feedback from people who've had a lot of limitations on their quality of life whether it be pain or panic attack who've been able to to get some benefit from it."
So, here's how you qualify:
- You must be a legal Georgia resident
- Must be at least 18 years of age.
- Must have a medical condition that qualifies. Here’s a list of conditions that qualify under state law to receive a card.
Here’s what to bring:
- You must bring proof of your condition (Ex. X Rays, medication bottles, paperwork of diagnosis or where doctors can get it.
- $150 dollars to pay for certification.
- A valid form of I.D.
The Murrays say they'll be there.
“To know that we have it right down the road for us, it takes a lot of weight off of our shoulders,” Murray said.
The event will be on Saturday from 10 a.m..- 2 p.m. at Trulieve's Dispensary at 3556 Riverside Drive.
Marshall says once meeting with her and qualifying for a card, she'll enter your information into the registry.
She says if approved, you'll hear from the Georgia Department of Health in about 15 days to pick up your card at one of the 15 health department locations.