Category: Legal Reform

    Open Letter to: Georgia Joint Study Committee on Medical Cannabis

    Open Letter to: Georgia Joint Study Committee on Medical Cannabis 2014

    Rep. Allen Peake (R – Macon), Co-Chair
    Sen. Renee Unterman (R – Buford), Co-Chair
    Sen. Dean Burke (R – Bainbridge)
    Sen. Butch Miller (R – Gainesville)
    Sen. Curt Thompson (D – Tucker)
    Rep. Rich Golick (R – Smyrna)
    Rep. Micah Gravley (R – Douglasville)
    Rep. Margaret Kaiser (D – Atlanta)

    From: James Bell  Director: Georgia Campaign for Access, Reform & Education (Georgia C.A.R.E. Project)

    December 2, 2014

    Dear Honorable Committee Members,

    Thank you for your service to our state. I wish to commend you on your efforts to study the benefits of Cannabis as medicine. Your efforts have advanced the knowledge, the reality and the hope that cannabis will be available in the state of Georgia in the near future.

    In particular, I would like to thank Rep. Allen Peake for making this a signature issue that has advanced the debate and moved us closer to legal access.

    I would also like to thank Sen. Curt Thompson for his willingness to broaden the debate and create a pathway to more comprehensive legislation that will benefit more patients and potentially provide relief from pain and disease to so many others in need.

    While some want to see patients with epilepsy get access, others want to use the whole plant and allow the science to dictate what part of the cannabis plant should be used and for which medical conditions it may benefit.

    When comparing cannabis to drugs current available, the relative safety of cannabis, used under medical supervision, is undeniable. As with all medicines there are risks and benefits that must be weighed.

    One issue we must overcome is the taboo of THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) and other compounds found in this plant. I assume all of you are aware that some of the children being treated in Colorado and other states are in fact receiving THC and other compounds with beneficial results.

    You’ve heard from patients with chronic pain, PTSD, cancer, glaucoma and many other medical condition seeking access. Some have even testified that in spite of the prohibition in Georgia they have acquired the medicine on the black-market. Many of those conditions are treated with whole plant and/or various compounds, not CBD only.

    It is unconscionable that Georgia would allow producers to grow this valuable plant, extract CBD compounds and then be forced to destroy all other compounds based on politics not science.

    As we move forward, we hope all legislation will be considered based on its merit and efficacy not based on taboos, prejudice and misconceptions.

      Democrat Voters in Whitfield County GA say yes to legalization

      With little fanfare Democrat voters in Whitfield County Georgia say yes to legal marijuana. The straw poll was on the May 2014 primary ballot. It backs up a poll conducted in January by NORML that shows 62% of likely voters support decriminalization of cannabis

      WHITFIELD COUNTY, GA (WRCB) – Voters in Whitfield County say yes to legalization.  It was a question in a democratic straw poll.  Voters were asked, should Georgia legalize the possession of less than an ounce of marijuana for adults 21 and older? On their ballot it’s a non-binding question  and 64-percent of voters think it should be legal.

      Georgia democrats included the legalization question on the ballot to get people out to vote.  Straw polls also serve to gauge voters opinion.

      Under current Georgia law, less than an ounce of cannabis can get you up to one year in prison, anything more than that and you could spend up to 10 years behind bars.

        Georgia Libertarian Candidate Andrew Hunt “decriminalize marijuana”

        From Peachtree NORML: The 2014 Georgia gubernatorial election will take place on November 4, 2014. Though there has been much talk and coverage about the Republican candidate Nathan Deal and the Democratic candidate Jason Carter, there has been little reference to the Libertarian candidate Andrew Hunt.

        “I am putting forth a broad medical marijuana bill as well as allowance of industrial hemp,” Hunt said. “If a bill decriminalizing [marijuana] does pass, I will gladly sign it.”

        “Texas closed three prisons and reduced crime rates at the same time,” Hunt said, “The punishment for victimless crimes should be just fines, and I will move in this direction as much as possible. I hope to show a majority of people that moves toward greater Liberty are great for society. I will support changes to the War on Drugs to reduce the impact that drugs have on our society. Much of the impact is the crime related to the drugs being illegal and people being pulled out of society to serve time in prison. I would like to have net savings in our budget by having drug rehabilitation program versus jail time, and would work to get such changes passed into law and implemented. Police could then focus more on protecting the people versus attacking them.” Andrew Hunt