By David Beasley
ATLANTA Tue Jan 28, 2014 7:20pm EST
A man shreds marijuana during a rally to hand out information and collect signatures for marijuana legalization outside the Senate building in Mexico City January 22, 2014.
Credit: Reuters/Tomas Bravo
<span id="articleText"><span id="midArticle_start"/> ATLANTA (Reuters) - Georgia state representative Allen Peake introduced a bill on Tuesday that would legalize a non-psychoactive strain of marijuana strictly limited to patients with severe seizure disorders.
<span id="midArticle_1"/>The Republican lawmaker's proposal is similar to legislation introduced recently in Florida and Alabama, while limiting its availability to a handful of medical research facilities.
<span id="midArticle_2"/>Peake's interest in the issue was prompted by a constituent's 4-year-old daughter, who suffers from a seizure disorder.
<span id="midArticle_3"/>"When I saw her, she reminded me so much of my granddaughter, who is about the same age," said Peake. "It made me realize that if this was my child or my grandchild, I'd be moving heaven and earth to get this legislation passed to provide some hope and relief to these families."
<span id="midArticle_4"/>Medical marijuana in various forms is currently legal in 20 states, and at least 10 other states are considering legalizing it, including Florida, Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee, said Erik Altieri, spokesman for the Washington-based pro-marijuana group, NORML.
<span id="midArticle_5"/>"Traditionally, this was the realm of Democratic lawmakers. But we're beginning to see a lot more Republicans get behind this issue," he said. "It really seems like finally, legislators are catching up with the will of the people."
<span id="midArticle_6"/>None of the 20 states where medical marijuana is currently legally available are in the south, Altieri said.
<span id="midArticle_7"/>If the Georgia medical marijuana bill is enacted, patients would not be able to obtain the drug from their corner drugstore, Peake said. The drugs would be dispensed by five university research centers in the state.
<span id="midArticle_8"/>Georgia law already allows medical marijuana to be prescribed at medical research facilities for cancer patients and to relieve eye pressure for glaucoma sufferers, though a state board has never been authorized to administer the program, according to Peake.
<span id="midArticle_9"/>In Alabama, a bill called Carly's law, initiated to help a toddler with violent seizures was filed in the first days of the 2014 Alabama Legislative session that convened January 14.
<span id="midArticle_10"/>The bill, which is still in committee review, also makes it legal to possess a prescribed medical grade extract known as cannabidiol, or CBD, which is non-intoxicating.
<span id="midArticle_11"/>Florida lawmakers are also considering legalizing CBD, which has shown promising results for controlling seizures.
<span id="midArticle_12"/>The strain is low in TCH, the psychoactive compound that gives users the feeling of being high. The product has no value to traditional marijuana consumers and comes as an oil.
<span id="midArticle_13"/>Passage of the bill in Georgia would be tough, said Peake, but added it had the key backing of the Medical Association of Georgia (MAG).
<span id="midArticle_14"/>The association's president William Silver told Reuters that MAG supported marijuana use for medicinal purposes in academic settings.
<span id="midArticle_15"/>(Writing by David Adams; editing by Gunna Dickson)
<span id="midArticle_16"/>
ATLANTA Tue Jan 28, 2014 7:20pm EST
Credit: Reuters/Tomas Bravo
<span id="articleText"><span id="midArticle_start"/> ATLANTA (Reuters) - Georgia state representative Allen Peake introduced a bill on Tuesday that would legalize a non-psychoactive strain of marijuana strictly limited to patients with severe seizure disorders.
<span id="midArticle_1"/>The Republican lawmaker's proposal is similar to legislation introduced recently in Florida and Alabama, while limiting its availability to a handful of medical research facilities.
<span id="midArticle_2"/>Peake's interest in the issue was prompted by a constituent's 4-year-old daughter, who suffers from a seizure disorder.
<span id="midArticle_3"/>"When I saw her, she reminded me so much of my granddaughter, who is about the same age," said Peake. "It made me realize that if this was my child or my grandchild, I'd be moving heaven and earth to get this legislation passed to provide some hope and relief to these families."
<span id="midArticle_4"/>Medical marijuana in various forms is currently legal in 20 states, and at least 10 other states are considering legalizing it, including Florida, Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee, said Erik Altieri, spokesman for the Washington-based pro-marijuana group, NORML.
<span id="midArticle_5"/>"Traditionally, this was the realm of Democratic lawmakers. But we're beginning to see a lot more Republicans get behind this issue," he said. "It really seems like finally, legislators are catching up with the will of the people."
<span id="midArticle_6"/>None of the 20 states where medical marijuana is currently legally available are in the south, Altieri said.
<span id="midArticle_7"/>If the Georgia medical marijuana bill is enacted, patients would not be able to obtain the drug from their corner drugstore, Peake said. The drugs would be dispensed by five university research centers in the state.
<span id="midArticle_8"/>Georgia law already allows medical marijuana to be prescribed at medical research facilities for cancer patients and to relieve eye pressure for glaucoma sufferers, though a state board has never been authorized to administer the program, according to Peake.
<span id="midArticle_9"/>In Alabama, a bill called Carly's law, initiated to help a toddler with violent seizures was filed in the first days of the 2014 Alabama Legislative session that convened January 14.
<span id="midArticle_10"/>The bill, which is still in committee review, also makes it legal to possess a prescribed medical grade extract known as cannabidiol, or CBD, which is non-intoxicating.
<span id="midArticle_11"/>Florida lawmakers are also considering legalizing CBD, which has shown promising results for controlling seizures.
<span id="midArticle_12"/>The strain is low in TCH, the psychoactive compound that gives users the feeling of being high. The product has no value to traditional marijuana consumers and comes as an oil.
<span id="midArticle_13"/>Passage of the bill in Georgia would be tough, said Peake, but added it had the key backing of the Medical Association of Georgia (MAG).
<span id="midArticle_14"/>The association's president William Silver told Reuters that MAG supported marijuana use for medicinal purposes in academic settings.
<span id="midArticle_15"/>(Writing by David Adams; editing by Gunna Dickson)
<span id="midArticle_16"/>
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