Atlanta GA: The headline screamed “Gov Deal Supports New Medical Marijuana Bill”. What it did not say was this “new bill” essentially killed any efforts to get legal cannabis medicine to the people of Georgia. House Bill 1, sponsored by Rep Allen Peake (R) is DEAD!
“They have pulled the wool over our eyes and pulled the rug out from under the citizens of Georgia that support medical marijuana”, said James Bell director of Georgia C.A.R.E. Project. “They have betrayed the will and desire of the people of Georgia with their political shenanigans.”
Until last Friday (Jan. 9), advocates were being told by Rep. Allen Peake that medical marijuana was on track for the 2015 legislative session. But Deal and Peake have agreed upon a back room deal undermining the efforts.
Instead of a bill allowing for cannabis cultivation and formulation of cannabis extracts in-state, the new version according to Peake and Deal would offer some form of “immunity” from prosecution for certain people able to smuggle the CBD/THC extracts from other states. This was revealed Friday in controlled public relations event staged in the governors office with a reporter from WSB TV news.
“Disappointment does not describe our feeling in this matter”, said James Bell. “The least we expected was a fair hearing on HB-1 during the session. Instead, Allen Peake gave into the demands of Gov. Deal and left the sick children to deal with their medical conditions on their own. Lawmakers look to states like Colorado for the answer but refuse to implement a similar policy.”
According to Bell, Allen Peake is setting up patients to violate federal and other state’s laws concerning possessing and transporting a controlled substance across state lines. Patients and parents would essentially become drug smugglers and only certain people would be immune from prosecution.
Georgia C.A.R.E. encourages the public to abandon Allen Peake’s efforts with HB-1 and focus attention on Senate Bill 7 authored by Sen. Curt Thompson (D).
“We know the general assembly supports medical cannabis, we know the public overwhelmingly supports it, so why did Allen Peake cave into the demands of the governor? POLITICS !”
Georgia C.A.R.E supports in-state cultivation, whole plant medicine and safe and legal access to cannabis. Learn more: wwwgacareproject.com
How bizarre, how bizarre. Am I truly reading this correctly? No in-state cultivation, “immunity from prosecution” for smuggling? Who do they think they are, the DEA?