Author: JoeHann

Thanks to Georgia Cannabis for summarizing House Bill 722 filed last week by Georgia State Rep. Allen Peake. After the Georgia commission on medical cannabis voted not to recommend in-state cultivation for Georgia, Peake said he intended to continue the fight. HB-722 is the result of his efforts.

What HB 722 Does

From the outset 722 is a radical departure from Georgia’s Haleigh’s Hope Act, which only decriminalized possession of certain substances by qualified patients and never actually established a medical marijuana program in Georgia. In contrast, this new law would:

1. Dismantle Georgia’s Low THC Oil Registry, which is currently maintained by the Department of Public Health
2. Create a new patient registry for qualified patients
3. Expand the list of qualifying conditions
4. Provide a broader definition for caretakers
5. Create a robust, fully-regulated medical cannabis system that includes in-state cultivation (no smoking, oil or vape only)
6. Track the progress of patient treatment by collecting aggregated information on treatments and outcomes
7. Place strict controls over who may access patient information and states that patient registry records may not be used against them in unrelated criminal proceedings
8. Provide legal protection for qualified patients in housing and school situations
9. Provide employment protection to qualified patients
10. Provide custody protection to parents who are qualified parents
11. Provide reasonable access to patients who are in nursing facilities
12. Create a perpetual 20-person task force with vague duties

The bill also expands the accepted medical conditions.

ast week Georgia State Sen. Harold Jones II (D-Augusta) filed a bill (SB-254) that would remove felony charges for simple marijuana possess. This landmark bill would reduce the harm  Georgia’s marijuana prohibition laws create. SEE LINKS BELOW

James Bell from the cannabis advocacy group Georgia C.A.R.E. Project said “It basically opens the door for us to begin a discussion about reform,” he said. “These felony records go on people’s records for life and are affecting people’s livelihoods and their education. “I think the big obstacle is going to be Gov. (Nathan) Deal.”

Senate Bill 254 states “Except as otherwise provided…… any person who is charged with possession of marijuana, which possession is of one ounce or less, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and punished by imprisonment for a period not to exceed 12 months or a fine not to exceed $1,000.00, or both, or public works not to exceed 12 months.”

By removing the ‘less than one ounce” provision all simple possession cases would be considered a misdemeanor. Current Georgia law puts the felony amount of cannabis at more than one ounce.

SB-254 is one of several cannabis related bills pending in the 2016 session of the Georgia General Assembly which licks off on Monday January 11.

“Look at the type of resources that go into all of that. And what we’re saying is, maybe those resources can be used for other things, such as cyber-crimes, identity theft…” says Jones.