Cannabis in Augusta Georgia — Fort Eisenhower (NSA Georgia + U.S. Army Cyber)

Last verified: May 2026

Augusta & the Cyber Capital

Augusta (~205,000 city, ~620,000 MSA across the Savannah River) is Georgia’s second-largest city. The Augusta MSA spans the Savannah River into South Carolina. Augusta is known nationally as the home of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National — but its more consequential identity for the cannabis-policy landscape is as the U.S. Army’s center of gravity for cyber operations and signals intelligence.

Fort Eisenhower (Formerly Fort Gordon)

Fort Eisenhower is the home of:

• U.S. Army Cyber Command (ARCYBER).
• The U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence.
• NSA Georgia — one of the National Security Agency’s largest cryptologic centers.
• U.S. Army Signal School.

Per a Fort Eisenhower spokesperson cited by SC Daily Gazette in 2024: ~16,200 military service members + ~14,500 civilian employees. The Augusta Economic Development Authority (AEDA) reports a workforce of 31,155 with annual economic impact of nearly $2.4 billion. The Alliance for Fort Gordon counts 31,874 military, civilian, and contractor employees combined.

The Fort was renamed from Fort Gordon to Fort Eisenhower in 2023 as part of the broader Confederate-naming renaming process.

Cannabis & The Federal-Cyber Workforce

For Fort Eisenhower personnel, federal contractors with security clearances, and NSA Georgia personnel, cannabis use of any form (including medical-card use) is grounds for termination, security-clearance revocation, and — for active-duty service members — court-martial under UCMJ Article 112a. The SF-86 continuous-evaluation programs treat off-duty cannabis use as an ongoing concern; positive THC tests during random or post-incident testing produce immediate clearance review.

The cumulative effect: Augusta has one of the highest concentrations of federal-clearance workers in the southeastern U.S. and one of the lowest medical-cannabis adoption rates by per-capita measure within the state.

The August 2019 City Ordinance

Augusta’s August 2019 city ordinance set sub-ounce fines for possession at $150 within Augusta city limits. Modeled on Atlanta’s 2017 framework but at a higher fine. State law preempts; Richmond County sheriff’s deputies retain charging authority under O.C.G.A. § 16-13-2(b).

Trulieve Evans (Columbia County)

Trulieve operates a dispensary in Evans, in Columbia County just outside Augusta. The Evans location serves the Augusta metro and the broader CSRA (Central Savannah River Area).

The Masters Tournament

The Masters Tournament at Augusta National (held annually in early April) draws hundreds of thousands of visitors to the Augusta metro. Augusta National Golf Club is private, with strict admission policies. Cannabis use on the property is prohibited; tournament-week visitors should not bring cannabis through Augusta Regional Airport (federal jurisdiction) or onto Masters grounds.

The University System and Augusta University

Augusta University (formerly the Medical College of Georgia plus Augusta State University) is the city’s flagship public university, with ~10,000 students. The Medical College of Georgia is one of the state’s major academic medical centers. Augusta University applies its own drug-and-alcohol policies; cannabis use on campus is prohibited.

Practical Patient Notes

• Combined state + local sales tax in Augusta runs ~8.0% at retail.
• Within Augusta city limits, sub-ounce charging is $150 max under the 2019 ordinance — but state-level charging remains available.
• Fort Eisenhower personnel and federal contractors face zero-tolerance drug-testing.
• Augusta Regional Airport is federal jurisdiction.
• Trulieve Evans (Columbia County) is the nearest medical-cannabis dispensary.