Category Archives: marijuana

December 5, 2014 Radio Commentary

Posted on by

Just Add “Childhood Seizures” to Current Law

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, December 5, 2014 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Three weeks ago three bills were pre-filed to change Georgia’s current law governing our state-sponsored research program for using marijuana to treat patients with cancer or glaucoma. Since marijuana is a Schedule I drug, with a high risk for abuse and no proof of medical value, the current law also included the Controlled Substances Therapeutic Research Program to develop security and record-keeping guidelines and protocols.

That happened in Georgia in the mid ’80s and it’s been the law in Georgia ever since. However, a couple of years ago a nationally known physician went on a world-wide study of marijuana, came back and published his findings. Since his report, 33 states have legalized medical marijuana and the pressure is on to legalize it here, regardless of the consequences.

Two days ago, the last of five meetings was held by the special joint committee created to study and research marijuana, but they didn’t discuss the three bills members of that committee have pre-filed for the 2015 legislative session. So, I’ll do it here.

H.B. 1 was pre-filed as a bare-bones bill to be fleshed-out later. It is so broadly written that it allows everything, but prohibits nothing. It would allow (a) unrestricted use of marijuana and its derivatives (b) to be supplied by unmentioned sources (c) for any number of patients of any age. It would be (d) administered through an unidentified private or state business, (e) for any period of time, and (f) prescribed by unnamed individuals, (g) with protection from prosecution for anyone with “a stated maximum amount of THC,” which is not stated. Continue reading →

November 2014 Newsletter

Posted on by

Marijuana: Three Pre-filed Bills¹ for 2015

H.B. 1 is a bare-bones bill, a skeletal outline to be “fleshed-out” later. It does not mention children. S.R. 6 amends the State Constitution to legalize medical and recreational use of marijuana. S.B. 7 would authorize, regulate, and oversee marijuana use in Georgia.

H.B. 1 is so broadly written that it would allow (a) unrestricted use of cannabis and its derivatives (b) supplied by unmentioned sources (c) for innumerable patients birth until death, (d) administered through an unidentified private or state entity, (e) for an indeterminate period of time, (f) prescribed by unnamed entities, (g) with protection from prosecution given anyone possessing “a stated maximum amount of THC,” with no maximum amount of THC stated.

Possible end game: If H.B. 1 passes the House and S.B.7 passes the Senate, a conference committee could combine both and produce a transformational bill such as S.B. 7, outlined below and on page 2. Since conference committee bills cannot be amended, they pass or fail as written by the committee.

S.R. 6 Constitutional Amendment; Legalizes Marijuana for 21-Year-Olds & Older This pre-filed resolution by Senator Curt Thompson would add a new section to the Constitution of the State of Georgia to accomplish three things. It would authorize personal use of marijuana, direct the distribution of tax revenue collected from the commercialization of marijuana, and provide for the following question voters would decide in a referendum.

“Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to authorize the General Assembly to provide by general law for the legalization and regulation of the production and sale of marijuana for personal use by individuals 21 years of age or older and may further provide that the taxes from such production and sale shall be appropriated equally between educational programs and purposes and capital outlay projects for transportation infrastructure purposes within this state?”

S.B. 7 Controlled Substances Therapeutic Relief Act, by Senator Curt Thompson, allows the use of marijuana for the treatment of diseases and their symptoms, as follows:

Diseases to be treated: Cancer, glaucoma, HIV, AIDS, hepatitis C, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, or agitation of Alzheimer’s disease

Symptoms to be treated include any medical condition that produces cachexia (a weak or emaciated condition) or wasting syndrome; severe and chronic pain; severe nausea²; seizures, epilepsy or severe and persistent muscle spasms; multiple sclerosis; or any other medical condition or treatment added by the Department of Public Health or as petitioned by the public.

Medical use of marijuana defined: “the acquisition, possession, cultivation, manufacture, use, administration, delivery, transfer, or transportation of marijuana or paraphernalia for the administration of marijuana to treat or alleviate a registered qualifying patient’s debilitating medical condition or symptoms associated with the patient’s debilitating medical condition.”

Click here to view the party platforms and to read the rest of the November 2014 Newsletter.

 

October 2014 Newsletter

Posted on by

No Perfect Choice? Select the “Less-Bad” Candidate, and Vote!

In the 1986 race for the U.S. House of Representatives, Arlan Strangeland of Barnesville, MN, defeated Collin Peterson by 142 votes out of 186,320 – less than one vote per precinct.

  • Pennsylvania 1974 – in a special election in the 12th Congressional District, John Murtha defeated Harry Fox b y a total of 122 votes. There were 430 precincts in the district and Murtha won by a margin of one-fourth of a vote per precinct!
  • Presidential Election 1960 – John F. Kennedy defeated Richard M. Nixon by 113,000 votes. That was about one-half vote per precinct.
  • Texas 1948 – Lyndon B. Johnson was elected to the U.S. Senate by 87 votes out of 988,295 votes cast in 6,000 precincts. That computes to 1/69th of a vote per precinct.
  • In 1918, Woodrow Wilson carried the State of California less than one vote per precinct. California’s electoral vote made the difference and Wilson was re-elected President.1

Know nothing about the candidates? Party Platforms reflect their positions.

Click here to view the party platforms and to read the rest of the October 2014 Newsletter.

October 17, 2014 Radio Commentary

Posted on by

Don’t Call It “Medical Marijuana!”

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, October 17, 2014 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

During the medical marijuana study committee meeting a couple of weeks ago, law enforcement officers stood firmly against legalizing marijuana. They are particularly concerned about the cultivation of marijuana, and specified that IF marijuana IS grown in Georgia, the growing must be done in indoor laboratories under strict control.

During the meeting, a Gwinnett Coalition for Health worker said, “We are concerned about substance abuse and we’re concerned with dispensaries. When dispensaries grow [marijuana], abuse expands. Black marketing marijuana is already in other states. There are big, big dollars behind this. Lots of money is involved.”

She continued, “Look at the people who are here. They are not children,” pointing out that the audience included business people, who want marijuana legalized for ALL purposes, not just for medicine, but for recreation, too.

Then she said, “[Using] the term ‘medical marijuana’ is a negative ‘norming’ thing [that makes it sound like a normal thing to do]. The message implied by the term is, ‘Since it’s medically good for you, it must be okay to smoke,’” reminding them that the number of young people using marijuana has increased since states passed medical marijuana laws. Continue reading →