Author: JoeHann

The news that legislation to legalize marijuana (cannabis) in the state of Georgia was filed this week has created quite a buzz in the news and social media. Here is a report from GaPundit.com

Thompson’s SB 7 would allow doctors to proscribe marijuana of up to two ounces for specific debilitating medical conditions, including: cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis-C, ALS, Chrone’s Disease, Alzheimer’s and chronic or debilitating condition that cause Cachexia (wasting syndrome), severe and chronic pain, severe nausea and seizures/muscle spasms from epilepsy or MS. SB 7 also includes a number of common sense limitations and guardrails for dispensing the drug. Marijuana, like any other prescription drug, would be regulated.

In addition, Thompson has filed SR 6 to advance the conversation of marijuana use. This constitutional amendment, if approved by voters, would legalize, regulate and tax the sale of retail marijuana through licensed establishments. The tax collections would be constitutionally earmarked for education and transportation infrastructure. Many other states have passed similar measures.

“During the 2015 legislative session, we will have the opportunity to provide our doctors with an additional tool by legalizing marijuana for medical use. This past summer, a joint study committee examined the options for legalizing marijuana and, already, three bi-partisan bills have been filed,” said Thompson. “Our discussions of marijuana in Georgia – in its many forms – have been largely limited to children’s health. While I adamantly support cannabis oil treatments for children with severe medical problems, I believe physicians should have the ability to care for all of their patients, regardless of age. SB 7 would provide doctors another tool for care and treatment.”

The folks at Peachtree NORML have attended all of the medical marijuana hearings in Georgia and have posted this report critical of the committee studying the issue.

From Peachtree NORML: The message sent to those in attendance was that profit outweighed the lives saved by the medicinal properties of cannabis.

Sen. Renee Unterman continuously asked questions within the meeting that displayed a sense that profit trumped the lives that could be saved by this legislation.

The topics of safe access for patients and how many patients could benefit were ignored by the committee while questions about how the state could generate revenue from medical marijuana were at the forefront.

The seriousness of the committee on the topic of medicinal marijuana was shaken to the core as the committee assumed the role of research state.

The problem with the committee wanting to become the pioneers in the field of medical marijuana research is that there has been plenty of research already done in the field. One cannot be a pioneer if the landscape has already been explored and defined.

Furthermore, the committee’s desire to contract GW Pharmaceuticals to grow and manufacture the CBD oil for research studies in the state is an affront on the legitimacy of their motives.