Pubdate: Thu, 23 Jan 2014
Source: Red and Black, The (U of Georgia, GA Edu)
Copyright: 2014 The Red and Black Publishing Co., Inc.
Contact:  http://www.redandblack.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2800
Author: .Taylor West

LEGISLATORS OPEN DISCUSSION ON LEGALIZING MEDICAL MARIJUANA

The laws on the use of medical marijuana in Georgia have been in place
since the 1980s, but they may be changing.

Georgia legislators are looking into the possibility of legalizing
medical marijuana.

House of Representatives member Josh McKoon, R-Columbus, suggested
looking into the laws that limit the use of marijuana to glaucoma and
cancer treatment to see if they should be expanded.

He filed senate resolution 756 recommending the creation of the senate
Prescription of Medicinal Marijuana for Serious Medical Conditions
Study Committee on Jan. 17 based on ideas including that new
technologies afford more control over the substance as well as studies
that suggest a medical benefit.

Josh Wayne, founder and president of The University of Georgia's
Athens CARE - an affiliate group of Georgia CARE - said he has no
doubt the government's study will come back in favor of legalization
for medicinal purposes.

He said there have been hundreds of studies conducted that support the
medical benefits of marijuana, but "there hasn't been much research
that the government technically approves of."

Wayne, who spent the holiday weekend in Washington lobbying for
legalization with other marijuana activist groups such as Peachtree
NORML and Georgia CARE, said he could plausibly see medicinal
marijuana being legalized in the coming years.

He said public opinion is changing.

"A good summary is they would back a medical marijuana bill as long as
the research showed it would be beneficial," Wayne said. 
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