Rep. Allen Peake Wednesday celebrated the House passage of his medical marijuana bill, and turned his attention to winning approval in the Senate.
The House by a 158-2 vote passed the legislation that would allow the use of cannabis oil to ease the suffering of a variety of conditions. Peake, R-Macon, said an estimated 500,000 Georgians would be affected. The approval was the another step on Peake’s two-year quest in favor of the legislation first sought to help children with seizures disorders.
The legislation allows the use of up to 20 ounces of cannabis oil with not more than 5 percent THC for treatment of cancer, ALS, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, mitochondrial disease, fibromyalgia and Parkinson’s disease. An amendment supported by Peake added sickle cell disease, as requested by the Legislative Black Caucus.
Peake said he fears the Senate will strip all of the conditions except for the seizure disorders. “I’m going to fight like crazy to keep every condition that we can in this bill,” he told reporters after the House vote.
The legislation also sets up a 16-member Georgia Commission on Medical Cannabis that would study the cultivation of marijuana for production and distribution of the cannabis oil in Georgia. Gov. Nathan Deal would appoint commission members by July 1 of this year.
Those authorized to use the substance would receive a registration card from the state Health Department after a doctor’s diagnosis.
House Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, commended Peake for his work on the legislation. He called the measure “a real solution to a real problem that exists now.”
Peake said he has not begun any negotiations with the Senate to gain support for the legislation, outside of talking to several possible sponsors.
In introducing the bill, Peake addressed fears that the legislation would lead to legalization of marijuana. “Passage of this bill is not an indication of a slippery slope but instead confirmation of our compassionate reach.”
