---
title: O.C.G.A. § 16-12-235. Research in compliance with federal regulations.
collection: code
id: 16-12-235
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 16-12-235 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-12-235
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-12-235.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-12-235/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t16-ch12-17-(v14b)-2024-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=a591fa7b_0#page=219
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-12.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-12-234.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/16-12-235.1.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: CRIMES AND OFFENSES / OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC HEALTH AND MORALS / ACCESS TO MEDICAL CANNABIS / DISPENSING AND DISTRIBUTION
---

# O.C.G.A. § 16-12-235. Research in compliance with federal regulations.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary within this article, nothing herein shall be construed to prohibit the conduct of research involving low THC oil, cannabis, or products that is conducted in full accordance with federal regulations, including the regulations of the United States Food and Drug Administration and United States Drug Enforcement Administration by any university or nonprofit institution of higher education within the State of Georgia, provided that:

(1) The university researchers conducting the research have the appropriate federal and state permits to acquire and use low THC oil, cannabis, or products in clinical or preclinical research; and

(2) The substances used for such research are obtained from licensed pharmaceutical companies or through channels established by the United States government, such as the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

## History

Code 1981, § 16-12-235, enacted by Ga. L. 2019, p. 43, § 4/HB 324; Ga. L. 2021, p. 184, § 23/SB 195; Ga. L. 2022, p. 352, § 16/HB 1428.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2021, p. 184, § 28/SB 195, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: “Nothing in this Act shall be deemed to change, amend, or alter any criteria for applications for a Class 1 or Class 2 production license submitted to the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission on or prior to January 27, 2021.”

## Amendments

The 2022 amendment, effective May 2, 2022, part of an Act to revise, modernize, and correct the Code, deleted the subsection (a) designation; and deleted former subsection (b), which read: “Nothing in this article shall be construed to prohibit research otherwise permitted by Chapter 51 of Title 31.”.