JoeHann, Author at Georgia Campaign for Access, Reform and Education

Marijuana advocates continue to press case with Athens-Clarke County

Our affiliate, Athens C.A.R.E. Project continues to push for some form of marijuana decriminalization in Athens-Clarke County GA. Headed by UGA student Josh Wayne, Athens C.A.R.E. has been attending commission meetings seeking reform. Here is the latest news on their efforts.

True to their word, a group of young advocates for local liberalization of marijuana possession laws rolled into City Hall for Tuesday’s meeting of the Athens-Clarke County Commission, once again arguing for a “parallel ordinance” allowing police officers the discretion to determine whether someone found in possession of marijuana should simply be cited and fined, or arrested and taken to jail.

“We’re not going to give up,” one of the young people told commissioners Tuesday. Since March, the group, affiliated with the Athens Campaign for Access, Reform and Education — part of Georgia C.A.R.E., a group working to “end marijuana prohibition in Georgia” — has been a regular presence at the commission’s monthly voting meeting.

Beware of CBD Oil Products “legal in all 50 states”

As states pass cannabis extract laws, entrepreneurs are stepping up to provide “CBD Oils”. The FDA has sent out warnings to several companies about the claims being made of their product’s healing properties. According to the FDA most of the ‘legal in all 50 state” oils contain little or no CBD (cannabidiol) and the products lack ingredient labeling. Note that there are many illegitimate product manufactures in America, the set back… it is illegal to ship across state lines. Georgia’s new law (HB-1) allows possession of certain cannabis extracts, for certain patients, if they can find a source in other states. Patients take the legal risks of shipping or bringing the extracts back to Georgia.

“WASHINGTON, DC — The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has sent letters to several makers of cannabidiol (CBD) oils derived from hemp, telling them to stop making medical claims about their products’ ability to treat disease.

Many sellers of hemp-based cannabidiol products, who advertise their products as “legal in all 50 states” because they are derived from industrial hemp, have been making claims that their products are rich in cannabidiol (CBD) and can be used for “the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of diseases,” according to the FDA.

The FDA, which considers CBD an “unapproved new drug,” says these companies are mis-branding the products and issuing false claims to consumers. Often these products do not even list their ingredients on the product label, the FDA added.”

Georgia Medical Marijuana Registry – How to get a medical marijuana card

Coming soon, some Georgians will be able to get a medical marijuana card that will allow the possession of 5% THC/CBD oil extracts. Under the recently signed House Bill 1, patients with 8 specific medical conditions will be able to get a recommendation from some doctors which will allow them to register with the state and allow them to possess up to 20 ounces of the medicine. The only catch… there is no legal source for the medicine in Georgia. Patients will have to go to other legalized states and attempt to obtain the medicine and bring or ship it back to Georgia and risk violating other state and federal laws. House Bill 1 also sets up a study commission to look into how Georgia should regulation the cultivation and dispensing the medicine.

The Georgia Department of Public Health has a website ready to provide the information concerning the process as it becomes available.