State Senator Curt Thompson, (D-Norcross) has proposed a pair of bills involving the legalization of marijuana in some capacity for the 2015 Legislative Session, both of which have been pre-filed. The first bill, Senate Resolution 6, looks to “authorize the General Assembly to provide by law for the legalization and regulation of marijuana; to permit persons 21 years of age or older to purchase limited amounts of marijuana for personal use; to provide that the fees and tax proceeds from the sale of such marijuana be dedicated equally between education and transportation infrastructure purposes”. Its laws would be similar to those seen in Colorado and several other states who have legalized the drug in the past year. While it clearly has little, (read: zero) shot at passing in 2015, the fact that it has been pre-filed at all is a startling step forward for such a red state.
The second bill, Senate Bill 7, seeks to “repeal provisions relating to use of marijuana for treatment of cancer and glaucoma and provide for medical use of marijuana; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.” Whereas recreational drug use carries a certain stigma, the medical uses of marijuana already have a history of being met with some acceptance in the state.
During the 2014 session, State Rep. Allen Peake proposed House Bill 885 sought to legalize some forms of liquid cannabis for medical use, specifically for treating seizures in children. On the last day of session the State Senate approved the bill 54-0, but it died at midnight in the House. There was much drama surrounding the bill’s late demise, which occurred due to the last minute addition of provisions requiring insurance coverage for the treatment of autism in children by State Senator Renee Unterman, the chairwoman of the Senate Health and Human Services committee. The House refused to pass the bill with the autism provisions added on as they felt it would raise insurance premiums for small business, while Senate leadership continued to throw its support behind Unterman.
Despite the best efforts of Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle to urge the House to pass the bill, it died on the floor, leaving the issue to carry on to the 2015 session where it will be expected to pass in some form.
It’s important to note that the medical marijuana referenced by House Bill 885 is not of the smokable variety that one might think of when the phrase ‘medical marijuana’ is thrown around, but is instead a liquid oil used as a medicine in very specific cases. The marijuana set for use for treatment of glaucoma or cancer, on the other hand, is of the traditional variety, which may be too big a pill to swallow for Georgia’s legislature.
A similar bill to Georgia’s SB 7 was voted down in Florida in November by slim margins, only capturing 57% of the vote in favor of medical marijuana where it needed 60% to pass. Another neighbor, North Carolina, merely gives a ticket for possessing small amounts of marijuana, as opposed to Georgia where possession of any amount under an ounce can lead to a maximum of one year in prison, (and and automatic trip to jail). Both of those states are in a significantly more purple political climate than Georgia, but if you squint your eyes you can see the direction this state is heading through all the smoke.
The debates over tax benefits, the reduction of crime, and medical usage will all come, but likely not in 2015. For now proponents of medical, (and recreational) marijuana will have to be content with the fact that their cause can no longer be ignored.
