The Senate Friday approved a bill to launch clinical trials of medical marijuana use for children suffering from epileptic seizures.
Senate Bill 185 passed 54-1 after Sen. Renee Unterman, R-Buford, chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, promised to seek to combine the Senate bill with House Bill 1, which allows the use of cannabis oil for the children’s seizure disorder as well as a number of adult illnesses.
Sen. Curt Thompson, D-Tucker, cast the negative vote. Thompson introduced legislation this session allowing the use of marijuana, not just derivatives containing a small amount of THC, for treatment of chronic and terminal illnesses.
Unterman said the committee will hold a hearing March 19 on the bill by Rep. Allen Peake, R-Macon, already approved by the House. She said that she would accept allowing adults to participate in the clinical trials, as well as opening them to other conditions. She said she will work with Peake on combining the two bills.
After Unterman’s promise, Sen. Elena Parent, D-Atlanta, withdrew an amendment to open the trials to those suffering from cancer, HIV/AIDS, and sickle cell anemia. Parent said she expects those to be included in the combined bill.
Unterman told the Senate, “We want to bring home our medical refugees that are located in Colorado.” In gaining House passage of his bill, Peake said that one of his main goals was to bring Georgia families home who had to go to Colorado to receive treatment.
Peake’s bill would allow Georgians to violate federal law against transporting marijuana derivatives across state lines. Sen. Lindsey Tippins, R-Marietta, said that SB 185 would ensure that Georgians comply with federal law. “It’s important that we don’t put our citizens under jeopardy of federal law.”
Tippins said his bill would expand a research program already under way at the University of Georgia. He said it would require children under 18 to receive treatment with marijuana products under strictly controlled conditions. They would have to be referred by a licensed neurologist, not a general physician. “It provides a mechanism to meet the medical needs of the children of Georgia,” he said.
Earlier, the Senate on a 51 to 5 vote approved legislation allowing craft breweries to give visitors beer samples. Sen. Hunter Hill, R-Atlanta, the bill’s author, said the legislation is needed to help a developing industry “reach full potential.” The proposal will help the industry’s marketing and brand-recognition efforts, he said.
The legislation, opposed by beer distributors, allows a customer touring a craft brewery to consume up to 36 ounces of beer on the premises. Plus, the customer could receive a 64-ounce “souvenir” after the tour. Brew pubs could sell a 64-house “growler” for a patron to take home. The bill now moves to the House.
The House meanwhile steadily moved through a heavy calendar on “crossover day,” the deadline for bills to pass one chamber for consideration by the other before the session ends.
