Medical marijuana business Cumberland Curative filed a lawsuit against the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission (GMCC) over the agency’s handling of the application process for MMJ licenses.
The lawsuit, filed in Fulton County Superior Court, alleges “conflicts of interest” and “backroom deals” during the licensing process, according to Atlanta TV station WAGA.
The GMCC awarded six medical marijuana cultivation licenses in 2021.
“We heard in December of 2020 before the applications were submitted, directly from high up, public officials in both Democrat and Republican Party, that four of the six licenses are spoken for,” Cumberland Curative President Charlie Arnold told the TV station.
Information about winning bids have been “redacted and kept secret from losing bidders, the public, and the media,” WAGA reported.
The Cumberland Curative lawsuit reportedly argues that documents in the bidding process should be made public.
Stay informed with MJBiz Newsletters
MJBiz’s family of newsletters gives cannabis professionals an edge in this rapidly changing industry.
Featured newsletters:
- MJBizDaily: Business news for cannabis leaders in your inbox each morning
- MJBiz Cultivator: Insights for wholesale cannabis growers & vertically integrated businesses
- MJBizCon Buzz: Behind-the-scenes buzz on everything MJBizCon
- MJBiz Retail + Brand: New products, trends and news for cannabis retailers, distributors and marketers
- Hemp Industry Week: Roundup of news from hemp farming to CBD product manufacturing
- And more!
Another company that failed to win a license, Georgia Atlas, filed a similar suit against the state in January, although that case was dismissed in March.
Low-THC cannabis oil is permitted for registered MMJ patients in Georgia, but the state’s medical cannabis industry remains stalled after lawmakers failed to pass an implementation bill earlier this month.
