Georgia: Majority Of House Members Sign Medical Cannabis Bill

[Robert Celt]

A bill in the state House of Representatives that would license limited medical marijuana cultivation has the signatures of 60 percent of representatives.

Its sponsor, state Rep. Allen Peake, R-Macon, said he is pleased with the support.

Peake's House Bill 722 would let the state license up to six medical cannabis companies. Each company could grow specially bred cannabis and manufacture medications in liquid or pill form for any one of 17 diagnoses. Patients would have to get a doctor's recommendation and join the state's medical marijuana registry.

A total 108 House members had signed the bill as of late Tuesday morning, after Peake spent a day and a half shopping it up and down Capitol halls, pen in hand.

Changing the law to allow for growing medical cannabis in Georgia has been his mission for months. He said that House Bill 722 is a narrow medical bill.

"For folks that think that this bill is going to allow them to be able to smoke some weed anytime, anyplace they want to, they're going to be sorely disappointed," Peake said.

But if the number of signatures make his chances for House approval look good, there's still the Senate's separate confirmation process and the governor to consider.

Republican Gov. Nathan Deal has said he does not support the bill, because he is not convinced the state could control the industry. Some law enforcement leaders also have said they fear a medical industry could serve as cover for black market marijuana.

Peake will seek a first House committee hearing in the coming days.

News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Georgia: Majority Of House Members Sign Medical Cannabis Bill
Author: Maggie Lee
Contact: The Telegraph
Photo Credit: Maggie Lee
Website: The Telegraph

 

[420 Warrior]

Peake's House Bill 722 would let the state license up to six medical cannabis companies. Each company could grow specially bred cannabis and manufacture medications in liquid or pill form for any one of 17 diagnoses. Patients would have to get a doctor's recommendation and join the state's medical marijuana registry.

Meanwhile, people with thousands of other ailments that could also benefit from Cannabis will just have to go on suffering and kept dependent and addicted to opiates because heaven forbid we give relief to everyone who needs this medicine.

Also, here we go again with yet another state that wants to let a small hand full of companies monopolize the Cannabis market despite seeing how opposed to that proposition people in other states have been to that idea.

"For folks that think that this bill is going to allow them to be able to smoke some weed anytime, anyplace they want to, they're going to be sorely disappointed," Peake said.

Yea, because we love filling our prisons with tens of thousands of nonviolent offenders because we have a quota to fill with "Low Hanging Fruit" Cannabis users. Putting away violent criminals involves doing real police work and we really don't want to keep our citizens safe and involve our law enforcement officers with dangerous assignments like going after real criminals. It's much easier and generates much more revenue to arrest someone with a bag of Cannabis, who's hurting no one, than it is to go after violent people with guns that set out to murder, rape and rob innocent people.

But if the number of signatures make his chances for House approval look good, there's still the Senate's separate confirmation process and the governor to consider.

Republican Gov. Nathan Deal has said he does not support the bill, because he is not convinced the state could control the industry. Some law enforcement leaders also have said they fear a medical industry could serve as cover for black market marijuana.

First off, how hard could it be to control it if they're only going to allow 6 companies to grow Cannabis in the first place? It's not like they're allowing tens of thousands of people to grow Cannabis here, they're talking about a super, highly regulated market in the hands of the state government, so just how will the black market be able to get involved in this in the first place?

Secondly, the black market isn't worried about getting involved in a highly regulated, government controlled system when their already comfortable making millions from the recreational market they have now.

Thirdly, recreational Cannabis users aren't even interested in the low THC, high CBD strains they're talking about growing in these facilities, so that's another reason that the black market will want nothing to do with this. It's much more lucrative to supply highly potent strains to recreational Cannabis users than to supply them with strains that won't even get you high.

So, essentially Nathan Deal and his law enforcement agencies are letting it be known that they support the black market Cannabis trade by roadblocking any form of Cannabis legalization legislation.

The Cannabis black market trade is stronger than it's ever been here in Georgia and we have access to the same high grade strains that people in legal states have, so no matter what legislation this state government passes or doesn't pass here, our recreational Cannabis needs are being filled now more than ever in my life time.

I know from personal experience and observation that very few Georgians even smoke low grade Mexican swag anymore and for the most part, we've pretty much all switched over and started smoking dispensary grade Cannabis, despite any and all efforts being made by our government and law enforcement.

 

[Radogast]

Meanwhile, people with thousands of other ailments that could also benefit from Cannabis will just have to go on suffering and kept dependent and addicted to opiates because heaven forbid we give relief to everyone who needs this medicine.

Also, here we go again with yet another state that wants to let a small hand full of companies monopolize the Cannabis market despite seeing how opposed to that proposition people in other states have been to that idea.



Yea, because we love filling our prisons with tens of thousands of nonviolent offenders because we have a quota to fill with "Low Hanging Fruit" Cannabis users. Putting away violent criminals involves doing real police work and we really don't want to keep our citizens safe and involve our law enforcement officers with dangerous assignments like going after real criminals. It's much easier and generates much more revenue to arrest someone with a bag of Cannabis, who's hurting no one, than it is to go after violent people with guns that set out to murder, rape and rob innocent people.



First off, how hard could it be to control it if they're only going to allow 6 companies to grow Cannabis in the first place? It's not like they're allowing tens of thousands of people to grow Cannabis here, they're talking about a super, highly regulated market in the hands of the state government, so just how will the black market be able to get involved in this in the first place?

Secondly, the black market isn't worried about getting involved in a highly regulated, government controlled system when their already comfortable making millions from the recreational market they have now.

Thirdly, recreational Cannabis users aren't even interested in the low THC, high CBD strains they're talking about growing in these facilities, so that's another reason that the black market will want nothing to do with this. It's much more lucrative to supply highly potent strains to recreational Cannabis users than to supply them with strains that won't even get you high.

So, essentially Nathan Deal and his law enforcement agencies are letting it be known that they support the black market Cannabis trade by roadblocking any form of Cannabis legalization legislation.

The Cannabis black market trade is stronger than it's ever been here in Georgia and we have access to the same high grade strains that people in legal states have, so no matter what legislation this state government passes or doesn't pass here, our recreational Cannabis needs are being filled now more than ever in my life time.

I know from personal experience and observation that very few Georgians even smoke low grade Mexican swag anymore and for the most part, we've pretty much all switched over and started smoking dispensary grade Cannabis, despite any and all efforts being made by our government and law enforcement.

Thanks Warrior - I could feel my blood rising and was wondering if I had 30 minutes to compose an adequate reply --- You saved my blood pressure.


Well said, 420 Warrior !

 

[420 Warrior]

Thanks Warrior - I could feel my blood rising and was wondering if I had 30 minutes to compose an adequate reply --- You saved my blood pressure.


Well said, 420 Warrior !

Thanks brother Radogast,

Yea man, my blood boils every time I see the lame attempts Georgia makes at Cannabis legislation and as much as Allen Peake thinks he's doing what's best for the people here, it's still a piece of piss poor legislation. This is nothing more than an attempt to put a small band aid over a gaping wound that's bleeding out of control and I really hope they know that this war will never be over until we get relief on ALL fronts.

The thing that burns me up, is the fact that they never acknowledge that they're war is ruining peoples lives and they think we're willing to just settle for treating a tiny group of ailments when their are so many others that need relief from their suffering as well, not to mention all the families that are still suffering because of loved ones being left to rot in prison for a harmless plant.