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Law Georgia

Baron23

Well-Known Member
Georgia Senate Passes Medical Marijuana Program Expansion

Headed to the desk of Georgia’s Gov. Nathan Deal for his approving signature, legislation sponsored by Sen. Ben Watson (R-1st District) that expands the state’s medical marijuana program was overwhelmingly passed on Thursday by the state Senate.

Approved by a 45-6 vote, SB 16 represents a brokered compromise between the Senate and House negotiated earlier this month. Once signed by the governor, the bill will add six additional conditions to Georgia’s current form of limited medical marijuana.

George’s Six New Medical Marijuana Conditions:
  • AIDS
  • Alzheimer’s Disease
  • Autism
  • Epidermolysis Bullosa
  • Peripheral Neuropathy
  • Tourette Syndrome
(cont)

Georgia's program is still very restricted and has a loooong way to go, but every step forward helps.
 
Bit more on Georgia's MMJ program.....and the fact that they have one but have no provisions to provide for cultivation!! sigh

Georgia lawmakers expand medical cannabis conditions, but still haven’t legalized cultivation

"This bill does not go as far as many of us would have liked. But it will allow more Georgians access to much needed care," said Rep. Allen Peake, R-Macon, who led the effort

By Ezra Kaplan, The Associated Press

ATLANTA — The Georgia General Assembly is on the cusp of expanding access to medical cannabis.

The House voted 167-4 Tuesday to pass a bill that would add six new diagnoses to the list of qualifying conditions for medical cannabis oil, including autism, AIDS, Tourette’s syndrome, and Alzheimer’s disease. However, many of the diagnoses will be restricted to when the condition is severe or in the e

nd-stage.

Additionally, anyone in a hospice program, regardless of diagnosis, will be allowed access to marijuana oil that’s low on THC, the chemical responsible for the marijuana high.

The final bill was a compromise. The Senate initially wanted to lower THC levels in the cannabis oil and only add autism to the list of qualifying conditions. Meanwhile, the House wanted to greatly expand the program by adding several more conditions and removing the restrictions of severe or end-stage.

“This bill does not go as far as many of us would have liked. But it will allow more Georgians access to much needed care,” said Rep. Allen Peake, R-Macon, who led the effort and sponsored the House’s version of the bill.


Peake said that he knows of many families who have been illegally using cannabis oil to treat their children. The expansion will let those families “sleep a little easier at night,” he said.

But he stressed that there is still a gap, explaining that even though patients are allowed to possess cannabis oil in Georgia, there is no way for them to legally obtain it. He hopes that this expansion will bring in more patients and create leverage to legalize medical cannabis cultivation. (cont).

Well, you have to hand it to our political leaders for once again crafting complete and utter BS program just to check off a block.....fuck the patients, right? Those sick bastards probably don't get out to vote anyway....sigh.
 
The Georgia Republican who operates an underground MMJ network.

State rep. Alan Peake, a champion of cannabis reform in the Southern state, distributes medical marijuana to hundreds of patients who have no legal way of obtaining it. He operates "in ways he hopes will avoid felony charges of drug trafficking." Peake donates $100,000 a year to a medical cannabis foundation in Colorado (direct payments would be illegal). "'I'll never recover that money,' but the satisfaction of helping people makes it all worthwhile, he said."


MACON, Ga. (AP) — Once a month, a cardboard box from Colorado appears at the office of a conservative Christian lawmaker in central Georgia, filled with derivatives of marijuana, to be distributed around the state in the shadows of the law.

Operating in ways he hopes will avoid felony charges of drug trafficking, state Rep. Allen Peake is taking matters into his own hands. He's shepherding cannabis oil to hundreds of sick people who are now allowed by the state to possess marijuana, but have no legal way of obtaining it.

"We're going to do whatever it takes to be able to help get product to these families, these citizens who have debilitating illnesses," Peake said. He spoke with The Associated Press in his Macon office, where he runs his business, his campaign operation and his underground medical marijuana network.

Peake has successfully championed the creation and expansion of Georgia's medical marijuana program, which now provides low-THC cannabis oil to more than a thousand patients. Enrollees can have it, but they can't cultivate, import or purchase the drug.

This straight-laced Republican is about the last person many would expect to take up such a cause.

He's the CEO of one of the nation's largest franchise restaurant businesses, with more than 100 locations including Cheddar's and Fazoli's. He says he runs this business on Biblical principles and donates to Christian charities, a practice that led him into the world of cannabis when he began helping families with the costs of moving to Colorado for the legal access to treatments they couldn't get in Georgia.

Those connections led to the arrival each month of boxes on his office doorstep, filled with bottles of cannabis oil of varying concentrations within Georgia's now-legal THC limit.

Peake says he doesn't know who brings it into the state, and doesn't ask.

Marijuana remains a federally outlawed Schedule 1 narcotic, even though 29 states now have comprehensive medical marijuana programs. Seventeen others, including Georgia, allow the use of marijuana products for medical reasons in limited situations or as a legal defense, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

In 2009, President Barack Obama instructed the Department of Justice not to prosecute people for possessing or distributing medical marijuana, a policy President Donald Trump has not changed.

But transporting marijuana across state lines? That remains a felony.

"Quite frankly, I don't know how the product gets here," Peake said.

He's a certified public accountant who went to theology school, but has an adventurous side — running competitively, scuba diving and recently splurging on a Tesla Model S, which can zoom from 0 to 60 mph (97 kph) in 2.5 seconds.

Thrill-seeking has cost him at times: In 2015, he publicly acknowledged having had an account on the adultery dating site Ashley Madison. After apologizing to his constituents and thanking his wife for her "powerful and merciful gift of forgiveness," he went right back to legislating.

Each time one of the nondescript boxes arrives, Peake makes a significant donation to a foundation in Colorado that supports research of medical cannabis. He can't make a direct payment, because that would be illegal. But with his donations of about $100,000 a year, he and his wife are able to supply the oil to hundreds of patients across Georgia.

"I'll never recover that money," but the satisfaction of helping people makes it all worthwhile, he said.

If Peake did try to recoup the money, say by selling the oil, he could face charges of drug trafficking. By paying for it himself and giving it away for free, he narrowly skirts the law, which does not prohibit the gifting of cannabis oil.

It was Peake's bill in 2015 that established Georgia's medical cannabis program, which allows people with qualifying diagnoses to possess cannabis oil with less than 5 percent THC, the chemical that gets users high. It was a first step, acknowledging Gov. Nathan Deal's refusal to legalize the cultivation of marijuana within Georgia.

Peake also was instrumental in passing another step, now awaiting Deal's signature that would expand the list of qualifying conditions. Persuading state lawmakers to legalize cultivation, production and sale of cannabis oil in Georgia remains a distant goal, but Peake thinks enabling more patients to get the drug meanwhile can only help.

About 1,300 patients are currently enrolled, and other lawmakers have joined his quasi-legal enterprise: At least 20 state senators and representatives have referred their constituents to him, Peake says. Even some who voted against his marijuana bills have had a change of heart when someone close to them got sick, he said.

When it comes time for deliveries, Peake is vigilant, making sure everyone he works with is registered with the state and enrolled in the medical cannabis program so they can legally handle the product.

Though Peake isn't a qualified patient, he obtained a medical cannabis card from the Georgia Department of Public Health, so that he can show it to constituents as he promotes the program, he said.

But a card is a card, enabling Peake to legally possess the cannabis at his office.

Shannon Cloud is one of the parents helping Peake move the oils to Atlanta. She initially got involved because daughter Alaina has Dravet syndrome — a rare, serious seizure disorder — and has benefited from cannabis.

Even though her daughter is off the drug because she's part of a clinical trial, Cloud remains one of the most active members of the informal distribution network.

She's passionate about this work, but frustrated that she's needed at all.

"It shouldn't be this way," she said. "You shouldn't be meeting at a gas station or a Target parking lot to get medicine to somebody. You should be going to the place where it is produced and tested to get it dispensed to you in a regulated manner, but this is what we're forced to do."

Once again, vote early, vote often, but for folks from Georgia..... this time please vote to keep this compassionate and committed man in office. How did a guy like this ever get elected in our current political environment?
 
Georgia’s Allen Peake Wins Medical Marijuana Expansion in Georgia


ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal approved an expansion of the state’s medical marijuana program on Tuesday, allowing people being treated for six additional medical conditions to possess cannabis oil.


The new qualifying conditions include autism, AIDS, Tourette’s syndrome, and Alzheimer’s disease. Patients must register with the state to be eligible and have a doctor’s permission.

Many of the additions restrict use to patients who are in severe or end-stage condition. The new law also allows people in a hospice program, regardless of diagnosis, to legally possess the oil that’s low in THC, the chemical responsible for the marijuana high.

The measure’s sponsor, Rep. Allen Peake, has received national attention for his work on the issue and taking part in a network that gets the oil into patients’ hands from other states where it can be sold and manufactured legally. Georgia doesn’t allow that. Peake introduced separate legislation this year to allow a small number of medical cannabis manufacturers licensed and regulated by the state but opposition from Deal and law enforcement halted any debate.

“I’m grateful to my colleagues, Speaker David Ralston, and Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle for their support in getting this bill to Governor Deal’s desk,” Peake said. “My hope is that in 2018 we can fill the gaping hole that still remains, and provide legal access to medical cannabis oil here in our state with a safe, lab tested product produced within our own borders. The job will not be finished until we accomplish this task.”

Well, at least this guy Peake is still fighting the fight.
 
Poll shows Georgia Republicans support medical marijuana cultivation

In-state harvesting of medical marijuana enjoys solid support among Georgia Republican voters, according to a poll released Monday by Rep. Allen Peake, the state Legislature’s strongest backer of medical marijuana.

The telephone poll of 511 likely Republican primary voters by the Tarrance Group found 71 percent were in favor of Georgia allowing cultivation of marijuana for medical purposes only. About 77 percent of those surveyed approved giving patients permission to use the drug for treatment of diseases, which is already allowed in Georgia.

Peake, R-Macon, paid for the poll as he is seeking legislation, House Bill 645 and House Resolution 36, that would permit medical marijuana possession or sale.

He said Georgia should have a system to grow, process and dispense medical marijuana. Twenty-nine other states already allow medical marijuana cultivation.

“I did the poll because I wanted to be confident of what I already saw: Hard-core Republican voters do significantly support this issue,” Peake said. “It’s a clear indication the momentum on this is clearly shifting on this topic as more and more people see the benefit of medical cannabis oil.”

The poll’s results were similar to those found by an Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll published in January. The AJC poll of Georgia voters showed 71 percent were comfortable with in-state cultivation. But more than half of those surveyed opposed legalizing marijuana for recreational use.

The Georgia General Assembly approved limited medical marijuana use in 2015 for patients with specific medical conditions, such as cancer, Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy. Earlier this year, legislators expanded the list of conditions that qualify.

Medical marijuana in Georgia is in the form of cannabis oil that provides patients relief from symptoms but doesn’t give users a high.

Among Georgia Republican voters surveyed on in-state cultivation of medical marijuana, 46 percent were strongly in favor and 16 percent were strongly opposed, according to results released by Peake. The poll was conducted from Nov. 27 to Nov. 29.
 
This is another BS program that provides the optics of having a viable MMJ program while not really. This is another state that limits THC content to 5% or less. Its really a CBD program which is good for what it is but let's not kid ourselves into congratulating GA over having a med program....cause this is just window dressing.

Georgia Moves Forward With Medical Marijuana Program Expansion

Georgia moves forward with medical marijuana program expansion, allowing more patients to access the medicine they need to heal.


During the last day of the 2018 legislative session that lasted well into the night, Georgia moves forward with medical marijuana program expansion for patients.

Last night the Georgia Senate approved an amended version of House Bill 65 (HB 65). That bill would add Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and intractable pain to the list of conditions approved for treatment with medical cannabis. Until yesterday, Senate leadership had refused to act on the bill passed by the House.

The Expansion…And The Drama
House Rep. David Clark is a Republican from Buford and supporter of House Bill 65. He is also a former Army Ranger who served in Afghanistan. Before Thursday’s vote, he chastised President of the Senate Casey Cagle for the Senate’s failure to consider the measure.

In a scathing speech, he said that Cagle was “corrupt” and “playing games” by opposing the expansion, according to local reports. He added that approving medical cannabis for use by PTSD patients would save the lives of veterans.

“If you can’t lead the Senate, then you sure can’t lead a state,” Clark said. “There are lives at stake. This isn’t a game. … People are dying.”


Casey Cagle is Georgia’s Lt. Governor as well as the President of the Senate. He is also a leading candidate for the Republican Party’s nomination for governor of the state.

Cagle apparently has a different take on the situation. In a press release that came out just last week, the lieutenant governor’s office said Cagle had “led the Senate to pass HB 65 to ensure patients across Georgia who rely on low THC medical cannabis oil will have safe, secure, and reliable access to treatment. HB 65 builds on Cagle’s vision for a high-performance health system that puts patients first, lowers costs, and increases access to quality care.”

Georgia Has Had Medical Marijuana Since 2015
Georgia approved its medical marijuana program with the passage of House Bill 1 in April 2015. Under Haleigh’s Hope Act, as the law is known, patients with approved serious medical conditions are permitted access to medicinal cannabis.

The list of qualifying conditions currently includes cancer, multiple sclerosis, ALS, Crohn’s disease, seizure disorders, and others.

The program only allows patients to use cannabis oil with a maximum of five percent THC. The law also authorized universities to research CBD oil and other cannabis therapies to treat seizure disorders in children.


Final Hit: Georgia Moves Forward With Medical Marijuana Program Expansion
House Bill 65 was passed by the Senate last night with a vote of 38-14. In addition to adding new medical conditions to the program, the measure creates a commission to study other potential changes. The group would be charged with exploring access to medical marijuana for patients and allowing cannabis cultivation in the state. The bill will become law if signed by Gov. Nathan Deal.

Last night’s action in Georgia continues a trend in American cannabis policy reform. Earlier this week, New Jersey also added to its list of qualifying medical conditions and reduced the registration fee patients are required to pay. And last week, Pennsylvania announced the next phase of its program which will increase the cannabis supply chain in the state.
 
This is too f'd up for words.


They Let Their 15-Year-Old Son Smoke Pot to Stop His Seizures. Georgia Took Him Away.

The pharmaceuticals weren’t working. The 15-year-old boy was having several seizures per day, and his parents were concerned his life was in danger.

So Suzeanna and Matthew Brill, of Macon, Ga., decided in February to let their son try smoking marijuana — and his seizures stopped for 71 days, they say.

The Brills’ decision led to the boy, David, being taken away from his parents, who face possible fines and jail time after being charged with reckless conduct for giving him the drug.

David has now been in a group home for 30 days, and his seizures have returned. He is separated from the service dog that sniffed out his seizures, and he is able to communicate with his parents only during short visitations and phone calls.

They maintain they made the right decision for their son’s health, despite their current predicament.

“Even with the ramifications with the law, I don’t care,” said Mr. Brill, his stepfather. “For 71 days he was able to ride a bike, go play, lift weights. We were able to achieve that with David medicated not from Big Pharma, but David medicated with marijuana.”

Ms. Brill said the authorities “want to argue the legality of marijuana instead of taking care of the kid.”

In April, a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel recommended approval of an epilepsy medication that has an active ingredient, cannabidiol, that’s found in cannabis. The drug treats two rare forms of epilepsy, and, if approved, it would be the first cannabis-derived prescription medicine available in the United States. It does not contain the ingredients that make people high.
But the science is far from settled on whether marijuana, or components of it, can effectively treat seizures, and the parents cautioned that what made sense for them may not for other families.

Dr. Igor Grant, director of the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research at the University of California San Diego, said there is some data to suggest cannabis can have anti-epileptic effects, “but not terribly systematic data.”

He said that the Brills’ experience, as a single anecdote, is not proof that cannabis works as a treatment, but added that it should not be dismissed.

“I don’t mean we should rush out and give marijuana to everyone who has epilepsy,” he said, “but I think that there are probably epilepsies that would benefit from an alternative treatment if they’re not controlled by our usual treatments.”

Ms. Brill said that she had been upfront with David’s doctors about the marijuana use, and that they hadn’t protested. But then she told the boy’s therapist on April 19, and hours later the police were at their door.

The police drug-tested all three of them: Mr. Brill and David tested positive for marijuana, Ms. Brill tested negative. The parents admitted to the police that they had given their child marijuana, and the officers demanded they stop, Ms. Brill said.

“We complied, and within 14 hours of complying we were rushing our son to the hospital,” she said. “And it was one of the most horrific seizures I’ve ever seen.”

The Twiggs County sheriff’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

David stayed in the hospital for a week before being taken to the group home, Ms. Brill said. The parents were arrested and spent six days in jail, causing Mr. Brill to lose remodeling work, he said.

Mr. Brill is now delivering pizzas, and Ms. Brill is taking on extra shifts in a variety of jobs to help raise money for a lawyer. They’ve turned to crowdfunding, but had raised just $1,000 as of Wednesday, with several donations coming after WMAZ, a local TV station, reported on them this past weekend.

They hope the lawyer can help them get David back, a process they believe could take as long as a year.

Despite their legal challenges, they say they did what they needed to as parents.

“Had it not been for me and my husband, my son would probably have been long dead,” Ms. Brill said.

Correction: May 30, 2018
An earlier version of this article misstated the legal status of medical marijuana in Georgia. The state has allowed the use of cannabis oil for treatment of some specific illnesses; it is not the case that marijuana for medical purposes is illegal.

Correction: May 30, 2018
An earlier version of this article misidentified the local TV station whose reports about the Brills over the weekend prompted several donations. It was WMAZ-TV, not KVUE-TV.
 
David has now been in a group home for 30 days, and his seizures have returned. He is separated from the service dog that sniffed out his seizures, and he is able to communicate with his parents only during short visitations and phone calls.
This sickens me. How is this justice? In what way are they helping or protecting him now? Disgusting.
 
To these parents.....MOVE to another state NOW. Take your boy, and RUN. :cursing::doh::mad::thumbsup::wave:

Georgia parents regain custody of son after treating his epilepsy with cannabis


A Georgia boy suffering from severe epilepsy is back at home today, but he’s barred from using the smokeable cannabis that stopped his seizures for 71 days.

A fifteen-year-old taken into custody by Georgia’s Division of Family and Children’s Services after his parents gave him marijuana to stop his severe seizures has been reunited with his family after more than a month of separation.

On Monday, the Twiggs County Juvenile Court issued a protective order outlining the conditions under which Matthew and Suzeanna Brill could regain custody of their son, David Ray. The Brills still face criminal charges for providing their son with cannabis. But following the conditions of the protective order could lead to the case’s dismissal.

Georgia Parents Say Only Smokeable Cannabis Stopped Their Son’s Seizures
One month ago, High Times reported on the Georgia couple who lost custody of their young son after providing him with smokeable cannabis to treat his epilepsy.

Medical marijuana is legal in Georgia, and epilepsy is a qualifying condition, even for minors. Recently, the state has made moves to expand its medical marijuana program while reducing penalties for adult use.

Still, smokable cannabis remains illegal in Georgia and is not one of the authorized forms of medical marijuana that patients can legally obtain.

The Brill family knows the laws, and they aren’t denying giving smokeable cannabis to their son. They did, however, feel compelled to offer marijuana to David after prescription drugs and legal cannabis oil failed to reduce the severity and frequency of his seizures.

According to the Brills, smoking cannabis gave their son a 71-day stretch without seizures. But after learning that the boy’s parents had supplied him with an illegal form of medical cannabis, officials accused the Brills of abusing their son.

The Brills, however, say they weren’t abusing their son. They say they were caring for him the only way they could.

ACLU Steps In to Reunite Georgia Parents With Their Son
In May, the Twiggs County sheriff’s office charged Matthew and Suzeanna Brill with reckless conduct for providing their son with smokeable marijuana.

The Brills never denied they had given their son cannabis and were upfront about their reasons for doing so. “We openly admitted to them … in front of Twiggs County sheriff’s deputies,” says stepfather Matthew Brill.

But Georgia’s Division of Family and Children’s Services took custody of the Brills’ son. They said the boy’s parents had created an unsafe living environment.

Then, last week, the Brills got some help from the American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU filed an amicus brief with the Twiggs County Juvenile Court in support of the family and appealing to the court to reunite them.

This isn’t the first time the ACLU has stepped in to defend parents criminalized for attempting to treat their children with medical cannabis.

The ACLU’s brief ultimately led the court to issue a 12-month protective order. Juvenile Court Judge Sam Hillburn issued the order, which requires the Brills to check in twice a month with DFCS.

Furthermore, the protective order requires David to submit to monthly drug tests. David can still take his prescribed epilepsy medications, including cannabis oil. The family will also provide DFCS with David’s medical records.

Juvenile Court Judge Could Throw Out Reckless Conduct Charges
Judge Hillburn appears to be taking a sympathetic approach to the case pending against the Brills. The protective order reunites David with his parents. But it also gives the Brills a chance to have their charges dismissed.

Hillburn has scheduled a review of the Brill case in six months. If David does not test positive for THC and his parents are fully cooperating with DFCS, Hillburn could terminate the protective order and dismiss the criminal charges pending against Suzeanna and her husband.

“It was hard being away from my dogs, my mom and my sisters and my stepdad and all them,” David said after the judge reunited him with his family. “I’m actually kind of happy that I’m finally going home.”
 
There's a news clip at the beginning of this article that could not be embedded...

Forest Park votes to decriminalize marijuana

FOREST PARK, GA (CBS46) -

From now on, Forest Park Police can still write a citation to people who have small amounts of marijuana; however, they can't arrest them for it because Forest Park City Council just voted 3-2 for decriminalization.

That means it's still technically illegal to carry less than an ounce, but, in the eyes of the court, that's a lesser offense than littering.

The first violation will be a $100 fine, a second offense will be a $300 fine, and everything after that is at the judge's discretion, but there is no jail time. Another important difference is that the offense is no longer considered a misdemeanor, and it will not come up when applying for student loans or looking for a job.

Forest Park is now the sixth city or county in Georgia to adopt a similar rule. The trend started two years ago with Clarkston, followed by Atlanta, unincorporated Fulton County, and the new city of South Fulton.

The only other Georgia city outside metro Atlanta is Savannah.
 
When the laws are arbitrary, capricious, and nonsensical, the citizens will simply reject the direction of their elected government. Seem to remember that this same thing happened in 1920 with the 18th Amendment. People just told the government to fuck off and rum runners became millionaires (does the name Joe Kennedy strike a familiar note?)


Jury Acquits Marijuana Patient Who Admitted To Breaking Georgia Law


The jury had a decision to make: find the defendant guilty of growing marijuana and possessing “drug-related objects,” which would result in a felony conviction, or deem him innocent.

It’s not an especially unique choice in a Georgia court—except that the defendant, Javonnie McCoy, admitted that he was guilty. McCoy, who said he grew cannabis for personal use to treat chronic headaches he developed after being severely beaten in 2003, was transparent in the courtroom. And it paid off.

The jury heard the case over three days of trial, spent two hours deliberating last week and ultimately found McCoy not guilty on all counts, his attorney Catherine Bernard wrote in a Facebook post. McCoy was acquitted through a process known as jury nullification.


“The jury appreciated his honesty throughout the case—including testimony at trial and statements to police—and recognized that a good, hard working man living a quiet life and not bothering anyone didn’t deserve a felony conviction for his actions,” Bernard said.

Jury nullification isn’t unheard of, but McCoy’s case seemed to symbolically challenge prohibitionist policies that put patients and non-violent users in prison, with a criminal record that could follow them for the rest of their lives. While Georgia allows patients to use CBD extracts for medical purposes if a doctor recommends it, cultivating the plant is a felony that carries a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in prison.

In other words, even if the judge wanted to give McCoy a pass, their hands would be tied. Only the jury’s leniency and right to nullify allowed the defendant avoid a serious conviction.

“Most people—and even many lawyers—are surprised to learn that juries are not required to follow the law,” Vince Sliwoski, an attorney at the Harris Bricken/Canna Law Group, wrote. “When a jury’s conscience takes over and tells it that someone does not deserve criminal punishment for his or her actions, regardless of the law, the jury can choose to acquit.”

Sliwoski offered an interesting, hypothetical scenario. What if a jury in federal court was tasked with deciding the fate of an individual charged for violating the Controlled Substances Act (CSA)?

“The possibility of jury nullification in a CSA case against a cannabis business is both fascinating and realistic.”

“It is realistic not just because of the favorable polling for cannabis nationwide, but also because these juries would be empaneled in jurisdictions that voted to legalize pot in the first place,” he wrote. “Imagine a hapless U.S. attorney being ordered to charge a popular cannabis farm in Humbolt County, California, which is America’s largest cannabis labor market.”

On a smaller scale, that’s similar to what actually played out in Georgia last week. Jurors exercised their right to judge not simply based on the letter of the law, but also their conscience and understanding of the context of the case. And what happened in the deep red state could be repeated in courtrooms throughout the country, which continues to grow more and more favorable toward marijuana reform.
 
Medical marijuana sales, cultivation pitched in Georgia

The Georgia legislature is set to consider bills allowing for the sale and cultivation of medical marijuana based on a study committee's recommendation.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that a joint House and Senate committee last week recommended lawmakers should consider providing 10 grow licenses, 10 manufacturing licenses and an "adequate number" of dispensing licenses. Lawmakers' next legislative session will begin in January.

Current state law allows individuals with 16 specific conditions to possess low potency marijuana oil, but marijuana remains illegal to grow, buy, sell and transport.

That has created a legal conundrum where about 6,000 Georgia patients are registered to legally possess the drug but can't legally obtain it.

Some critics in the state, which has some of the toughest marijuana laws in the country, fear that expansion of medical marijuana could lead to recreational sales.
 
Now read these two statements:

1. Georgia has previously allowed patients to use medical marijuana for seizures and cancers since 2015.
2. against the law to grow, buy, sell or transport the drug, leaving patients on the medical marijuana registry with no method of obtaining it


Only a fucking politician could come up with this Byzantine shit and think it makes sense.


Georgia House passes medical marijuana dispensaries bill


The Georgia House on Tuesday approved a bill that would allow medical marijuana to be grown, manufactured and distributed in the state.

The bill passed on a 123-40 vote and will allow patients a legal way to obtain medical marijuana oil in the state, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

“These aren’t people who are seeking a recreational high. These aren’t people who are seeking to use illicit drugs,” said state Rep. Micah Gravley (R). “These are people who have tried and failed with opioids. These are people who want their children to suffer less seizures.”

Georgia has previously allowed patients to use medical marijuana for seizures and cancers since 2015. Former Gov. Nathan Deal (R) signed a bill last year allowing for those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and intractable pain to use cannabis oil for treatment.

However it has previously been against the law to grow, buy, sell or transport the drug, leaving patients on the medical marijuana registry with no method of obtaining it, the newspaper noted.

The proposal would also license 60 medical marijuana dispensaries in the state, with licenses costing $150,000 for large companies, $37,500 for smaller companies and $30,000 for retailers.

The dispensaries will serve the more than 8,400 Georgians listed on the medical marijuana registry. Marijuana will still be prohibited for recreational use, the Journal-Constitution noted.

The measure advances to the state Senate for consideration.

Gov. Brian Kemp (R) said in January that h was open to the idea of in-state cultivation of medical marijuana, the newspaper previously reported.

“I sympathize and empathize with them on that issue, and I support research-based expansion,” he said. “Thankfully, there is some research that’s going on in this field that will give us some good data that will kind of tell us how to move forward.”
 
"he legislation would not allow the smoking or eating of marijuana"

So, wtf is legal...MJ suppositories? Every time I think I have plumbed the depths of the stupidity of our professional political class.....they show me there are much further depths to sink into. Idiots.


It looks like Georgia will become the next State to legalize medical marijuana sales


This week the Georgia General Assembly passed a bill that would create a system for patients to purchase medical marijuana in the state. The legislation is expected to be signed by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp whenever it hits his desk, according to his spokesman.

Under the current system, medical marijuana is legal in Georgia, but patients have no legal methods available in the state to purchase it. Current state law prohibits the selling, buying, or transporting of cannabis. The bill passed by the Assembly, HB 324, would license private companies and universities to grow medical marijuana to be processed into low-THC cannabis oil.

In addition the bill would allow the state to license private companies and pharmacies to sell cannabis oil. However, the legislation would not allow the smoking or eating of marijuana, nor would it legalize recreational usage. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Gov. Kemp was institutional in helping broker a deal between the House and Senate and safeguarding any potential illegal distribution.

“Over the years, I’ve met with children who are battling chronic, debilitating diseases. I’ve heard from parents who are struggling with access and losing hope,” Gov. Kemp said. “This compromise legislation is carefully crafted to provide access to medical cannabis oil to those in need. This is simply the right thing to do.”

Those who apply for medical marijuana under the current system include patients with cancer, intractable pain, PTSD, multiple sclerosis, and more. Should the Gov. Kemp sign the new legislation as expected, Georgia would become the 34th state to have a medical marijuana program.
 
Georgia’s “effort” is CBD only, and they are all on record as standing against even the possibility of anyone getting high...to call this by the same name as other efforts in other states is to misunderstand the existing will to control the population.
 
This is complete and utter BS. Georgia doesn't have a medical marijuana program to be stalled. Georgia has some paper that calls itself an MMJ program, but its not and all its intended to do is act as a passifier to the electorate while GA politicians do whatever the fuck they want. Its a Potemkin Village of a program. I'm pretty sure that @ClearBlueLou agrees with me on this.

Georgia....get rid of these fools...starting with your Governor.


Georgia’s new medical marijuana program stalls 6 months after law signed

Six months after Gov. Brian Kemp signed a law allowing companies to grow and sell medical marijuana in Georgia for the first time, the program remains stalled because he and other top politicians still haven’t appointed members of a commission to oversee the expansion.

Aides to Kemp, Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan and House Speaker David Ralston haven’t said why there’s no members yet for the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission. But until they do, the expansion is effectively sidelined.

The legislation, House Bill 324, gave the seven-member commission vast oversight over the state’s medical marijuana operation, including picking which businesses can grow the plant and developing the licensing requirements that retailers must meet to sell it.

It’s a cornerstone of legislation that creates a new but limited marijuana industry in Georgia. The legislation was celebrated as a milestone for patients who were previously allowed to use the drug — but had to violate state and federal laws to purchase it.

One potential cause for the lag time is that the commission is essentially a startup, unlike other boards and agencies with built-in procedures and existing members. State officials say they’ve been inundated with applications — more than 50 candidates have surfaced for the spots.
The law also sets strict requirements for appointments, including a rule that commission members must not have any ownership stake or other financial interest in a cannabis oil firm during their term — and five years after it ends.

Still, the delay is a setback for patients and their families who celebrated the law’s passage with hopes it would provide much-needed treatment for severe seizures, terminal cancers, Parkinson’s disease and other illnesses.

“It’s extremely frustrating for medically fragile patients to finally get a bill passed that allows the distribution of medical cannabis oil, and then still be waiting on Governor Kemp to establish the commission,” said Blaine Cloud, whose daughter Alaina suffers from a severe form of epilepsy that could be treated by the drug.
“Registered patients and many others continue to suffer every day – and will continue to suffer since it will take time to get companies licensed once the commission is finally established.”
 
GA has no program and I refuse to publish an article claiming that they do without rebuttal.

GA has a CBD program and a fucked up one at that insofar as currently patients are legal to buy very low THC "oil" (read CBD) but no one is allowed to grow, process, or sell it.

Politicians must be a different species because this kind of contradictory crap blows the mind of actual, reasonable, humans.

Georgia commission to oversee medical marijuana industry

Eligible patients in Georgia may soon be able to reap the benefits of medical marijuana with the initiation of the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission.


Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan and House Speaker David Ralston announced their appointments to the seven-member board on Tuesday. The members will oversee the issuance of licenses to grow and sell marijuana oil for the treatment of a variety of illnesses. The commission was enacted through Georgia's Hope Act, signed by Kemp in April.


“This group of citizens is now positioned to carry out the intent of this legislation by creating and executing the initial framework of this important process,” Duncan said. “A process that will ultimately deliver medicinal value to those who have been narrowly defined in the legislation and have been eagerly awaiting relief.”


Georgia's Hope allows private growers and selected universities to produce marijuana with a tetrahydrocannabinol, better known as THC, level of 5 percent or lower. Patients with a Low THC Oil Registry card would be able to purchase up to 20 fluid ounces of the THC oil from licensed dispensaries or pharmacies. The registry was established in 2005, but the patients had no way of obtaining the licensed product in the state.


The registry is open to patients with cancer, seizure disorders, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s, mitochondrial, sickle cell, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease and AIDS among other conditions with a doctor’s referral.


The commission itself includes three doctors, a small business owner, a police chief, a health policy professor and the president of the Georgia Board of Pharmacy.


Kemp selected orthopedic surgeon Dr. Christopher Edwards as the chair of the commission.


The governor also selected Emory University Professor Jason Hockenberry and Danielle Benson, vice president of Candid Construction Services LLC.


“I am confident that Dr. Edwards, Dr. Hockenberry, and Mrs. Benson will serve with the highest levels of integrity in faithfully carrying out the mission of the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission,” Kemp said.


Duncan appointed Dr. William Bornstein, the chief medical officer, chief quality and patient safety officer for Emory Healthcare and physiatrist Dr. Judith Rochon.


Ralston named the Georgia Board of Pharmacy head, William “Bill” Prather and Austell Police Chief Bob Starrett.


“From the beginning, we have been motivated by the desire to help Georgians suffering from chronic and painful conditions,” said Speaker David Ralston. “We have acted deliberately to implement a well-regulated and tightly-controlled medical cannabis system that is safe and secure. I know both Mr. Prather’s and Chief Starrett’s professional expertise will be invaluable as this work moves forward.”
 

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