Category: Legal Reform

    New medical marijuana bill offered in Georgia

    Some lawmakers in Georgia have become frustrated with the way the medical marijuana bill (HB-885) has developed. In response State Senator Curt Thompson (D- 5) has filed SB-432 (Controlled Substance Therapeutic Relief Act) . The bill appears to address many of the issues raised in HB 885. While this bill was filed to late in the session to be considered, it can give guidance for medical marijuana legislation in 2015. Georgia CARE will read the bill carefully and report the findings.

    To amend Chapter 34 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to

    physicians, acupuncture, physician assistants, cancer and glaucoma treatment, respiratory

    care, clinical perfusionists, and orthotics and prosthetics practice, so as to repeal provisions

    relating to use of marijuana for treatment of cancer and glaucoma and provide for medical

    use of marijuana; to provide for a short title; to provide for legislative findings; to provide

    for definitions; to provide for additional debilitating conditions; to provide for controlled

    substances therapeutic relief, limitations, and rule making; to provide for registration of

    marijuana dispensaries; to provide for registration of qualifying patients and designated

    caregivers; to provide for the issuance, revocation, suspension, and expiration of registry

    identification cards; to provide for facility restrictions; to provide for dispensary locations;

    to provide for dispensing marijuana for medical use; to provide for a verification system; to

    provide for notices and civil penalties; to provide for annual reporting; to provide for

    confidentiality; to provide for presumptions; to prohibit discrimination under certain

    circumstances; to provide for enforcement; to provide for fingerprinting; to amend Chapter

    15 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to excise tax on marijuana

    and controlled substances, so as to repeal and reserve provisions providing tax excise

    exemption for medical marijuana; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws;

    and for other purposes.

      New Federal Guidelines for Banks and Legal Marijuana Biz

      WASHINGTON — The Obama administration Friday provided new guidelines to the banking industry aimed at making it easier for state-legalized marijuana businesses to have greater access to financial institutions.

      In separate advisories issued by the Treasury and Justice departments, the administration’s action follows concerns expressed last month by Attorney General Eric Holder that legal marijuana operations were dealing largely in cash because banks feared that any relationship with the dealers put them at risk of prosecution under existing federal drug and money laundering statutes.

      Twenty states and Washington, D.C., have legalized marijuana for medical use. Two of those states — Colorado and Washington — also have legalized marijuana for recreational use.

        Georgia Medical Cannabis Bill “Haleigh’s Hope Act”

        Thanks to a lot of hard work from various advocacy groups and activists Georgia State Representative Allen Peake (R) and others introduced House Bill 885 on Tuesday. The bill amends the old medical research law passed in 1980 – formerly Controlled Substance Therapeutic Research Act – buy expanding the medical conditions for which cannabis can be used.

        Georgia CARE Project’s “Guide to Enacting Medical Marijuana in Georgia” was cited by Rep. Peake as being helpful in drafting the legislation and he thanked Georgia CARE director James Bell for his help in educating the lawmakers and public.