Pubdate: Fri, 30 Jan 2015
Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA)
Copyright: 2015 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Contact:  http://www.ajc.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/28
Author: James Bell

LET GEORGIA GROW MARIJUANA

The push to reform marijuana laws is spreading throughout America. The
public debate has reached Georgia thanks to various advocacy groups
and a few lawmakers who have pushed the marijuana debate to the
forefront of Georgia politics.

I applaud the efforts of State Rep. Allen Peake and State Sen. Curt
Thompson for filing marijuana legislation that has sparked a
much-needed discussion on how best Georgia should deal with marijuana.

Rep. Peake wants very limited medical legislation (House Bill 1) while
Sen. Thompson wants a more comprehensive law (Senate Bill 7), which
would allow for in-state cultivation and dispensing of various forms
of cannabis. SB 7 is the better approach to getting medicine to the
masses.

We know public attitudes have changed dramatically over the past
decade. A majority of voters support some form of marijuana
decriminalization and more than 80 percent of voters want medical
cannabis and, and there are many lawmakers that have shown strong
support. With a stroke of a pen, patients and parents of seriously ill
children could be receiving cannabis in just months, not years.

So why has medical marijuana legislation stalled in Georgia? I quote
Sen. Renee Unterman, "These parents don't understand how the General
Assembly works but this building is nothing but politics," she said
after killing a medical marijuana bill in the final minutes of the
2014 session.

This year, Gov. Nathan Deal has become the obstructionist by forcing
Rep. Peake to scrap plans to cultivate cannabis in-state and allow
legal access. Instead, they have conjured up an alleged "immunity"
bill that forces parents and caregivers to try to acquire cannabis
extracts from other states and then smuggle it back to Georgia,
risking arrests and violation of other states' and federal laws.

Peake has gone as far as saying that civil disobedience is in order
and will risk going to prison to get the medicine to the children.
Admirable perhaps, but foolish considering no one needs to be put at
risk to get a natural medicine to children and adults who may benefit.

Why would a lawmaker be willing to take a stand against the federal
government and risk prison time, but not stand up against the governor
of his own state? Rep. Peake should have followed through with the
proposed legislation and allowed the General Assembly to vote. If Gov.
Deal rejects it, he has the power to veto.

It is shameful that the leadership of Georgia has forced parents to
parade their children in front of the media like a circus and beg for
a natural medicine that may improve the child's quality of life, if
not save their lives.

We should get behind legislation like SB 7 that allows in-state
cultivation, whole plant therapeutics and doctors to determine how
best cannabis should be used as medicine.

Let's stop kicking the can down the road and pass legislation that
does not create an illicit market, protects public safety, provides
medicine to those in need and does not criminalize medical patients.

Gov. Deal - have mercy!

James Bell is the director of Georgia C.A.R.E. (Campaign for Access,
Reform and Education).
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