Georgia Qualifying Conditions — The 17 Conditions Under O.C.G.A. § 16-12-191

Last verified: May 2026

The 17 Qualifying Conditions

How the List Was Built

The original Haleigh’s Hope Act (HB 1, 2015) listed 8 qualifying conditions:

1. Cancer (end-stage; or treatment causes wasting/recalcitrant N&V).
2. ALS (severe or end-stage).
3. Seizure disorders (epilepsy or trauma-related).
4. Multiple sclerosis (severe or end-stage).
5. Crohn’s disease.
6. Mitochondrial disease.
7. Parkinson’s disease (severe or end-stage).
8. Sickle cell disease (severe or end-stage).

Sen. Renee Unterman’s removal of fibromyalgia in committee was widely critiqued at the time but ultimately stuck.

SB 16 (2017) — Six Conditions Added

• Tourette’s syndrome (severe).
• Autism spectrum disorder.
• Epidermolysis bullosa.
• Alzheimer’s disease (severe or end-stage).
• AIDS (severe or end-stage).
• Peripheral neuropathy (severe or end-stage).

HB 65 (2018) — Three Conditions Added

• Patient in hospice program.
• Intractable pain.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

HB 65’s addition of intractable pain and PTSD transformed the registry composition. The original list focused on severe pediatric and end-stage conditions; the additions opened the program to a far broader adult patient population. As of late 2025, more than 75% of registrants cite either intractable pain or PTSD as their qualifying condition.

The "Severe or End-Stage" Problem

Many of the named conditions carry the qualifier "severe or end-stage" — a clinical hurdle that can exclude patients with documented diagnoses but moderate disease progression. SB 220 (2026), pending Gov. Kemp’s signature with a ~May 12, 2026 deadline, would remove this qualifier from many conditions including cancer, MS, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s — substantially expanding patient eligibility within the existing diagnostic categories.

Three Conditions SB 220 (2026) Would Add

If Gov. Kemp signs SB 220 by ~May 12, 2026, the list would expand to add:

• Lupus.
• Severe arthritis.
• Severe insomnia.

These additions would meaningfully broaden patient access for the autoimmune-disease population (lupus, severe arthritis) and for the substantial population of adult patients using cannabis off-label for sleep. See SB 220 page.

The PTSD Pathway

HB 65 added PTSD in 2018 with a refinement in subsequent rule-making: PTSD certification for adults 18+ requires direct trauma exposure — combat experience, first-responder duty, sexual assault, severe accident, etc. Indirect-trauma PTSD (e.g., professional secondary trauma in mental-health workers) generally does not qualify. The PTSD pathway is one of the highest-volume certifications in the program; veterans communities particularly drive PTSD-pathway registrations.

Autism — Adult and Pediatric

Georgia is one of the more permissive medical-cannabis programs on autism: adults with autism spectrum disorder qualify (the only general-population pathway not requiring "severe" or "end-stage" status). Minor patients with autism qualify only if the diagnosis is severe. Parental-caregiver registration is required for any minor patient.

How Patients Document a Qualifying Condition

• Cancer. Oncologist treatment records demonstrating end-stage disease or wasting/N&V from chemotherapy.
• ALS, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Sickle Cell. Treating-specialist records documenting diagnosis and severity. SB 220 would relax "severe or end-stage" requirements.
• Seizure disorders. Neurologist records, EEG findings.
• Crohn’s, Tourette’s, Epidermolysis Bullosa, AIDS, Peripheral Neuropathy, Mitochondrial Disease. Specialist records of confirmed diagnosis.
• Autism (adult). Documentation of formal autism-spectrum-disorder diagnosis from psychologist, psychiatrist, or developmental specialist.
• Hospice patient. Documentation of hospice enrollment.
• Intractable pain. Documented chronic-pain diagnosis with prior failed conventional treatment regimens.
• PTSD. Formal PTSD diagnosis with documentation of direct trauma exposure (for adults 18+).

Practical Guidance for Prospective Patients

• Match your documented diagnosis to one of the 17 specific pathways before the practitioner visit.
• Bring treating-provider records, prior diagnostic imaging or lab work, prior treatment history, and any specialist consultations.
• If your condition isn’t on the list (e.g., generalized anxiety, ADHD, depression alone, fibromyalgia), the practitioner cannot certify. Consider whether one of the pathway diagnoses applies.
• For minor patients, parental consent + parental-caregiver application is required.
• Watch SB 220 closely — if signed, it expands access materially.