Bill addressing hemp possession, licenses passes Georgia House

The state’s 2019 hemp farming law caused an unintended quandary for Georgia prosecutors. An earlier version of the bill had criminal penalties identical to those for misdemeanor marijuana possession. Some, including Gwinnett County Solicitor Brian Whiteside, decided to stop prosecuting misdemeanor marijuana cases because the hemp plant and marijuana are virtually identical. AJC reports A bill passed Thursday clearing up who is allowed to possess hemp following questions created by legislation enacted last year. House Bill 847 requires people to have farming or processing licenses in order to possess hemp in Georgia, but does not tie criminal consequences to those found with the substance unlicensed.