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1 US GA: Column: Restore Our Constitutional Rights: AbolishMon, 22 Dec 2014
Source:Rome News-Tribune (GA) Author:Fuller, Kenneth Area:Georgia Lines:126 Added:12/22/2014

Starting about 1988, we, the God-fearing, law and order, peace-loving people of Georgia willingly allowed our state and federal governments to take from us our most closely guarded constitutional right not to be subjected to seizure of our assets without due process of law. It happened without so much as a whimper from any of us.

During this period, the legislature gave the police the right to seize and keep your property over the fear of drugs. The War on Drugs started then, and we have since wasted billions of dollars on this lost effort. We lost the war. This money could have been used to replace every bridge in our state in need of repair or replacement, to build new schools, and to hire and pay teachers rather than furloughing them.

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2 US GA: Ga. Lawmakers Consider Medical Marijuana ProposalsThu, 04 Dec 2014
Source:Rome News-Tribune (GA) Author:Foody, Kathleen Area:Georgia Lines:61 Added:12/06/2014

Atlanta (AP) - Georgia lawmakers revisited a divisive argument over legalizing medical marijuana on Wednesday, as parents pleaded for something to help children with seizure disorders and representatives of law enforcement and conservative groups warned of unintended consequences.

Members of a study committee met for the final time on Wednesday in Atlanta, with some lining up behind different proposals on the issue that will arise again in the 2015 legislative session that begins in January.

Republican Rep. Allen Peake, who spearheaded last session's failed effort to pass a bill aimed at helping children with seizure disorders, pre-filed a bill last month to allow limited use of medical cannabis in Georgia. Peake said he expects to have a draft bill by Christmas, or at the latest by the Jan. 12 start to the session.

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3US GA: Georgia Senator Proposes Full Legalization Of MarijuanaTue, 25 Nov 2014
Source:Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) Author:Torres, Kristina Area:Georgia Lines:Excerpt Added:11/28/2014

A state senator is proposing to fully legalize marijuana in Georgia, providing Colorado-style access at licensed retail shops while also allowing its use through medical providers for treatment of conditions including cancer, glaucoma and HIV/AIDS.

State Sen. Curt Thompson, D-Norcross, filed the joint proposals Monday for consideration by the state Legislature next year. The legislative session starts Jan. 12.

Thompson's Senate Bill 7 would allow doctors to prescribe marijuana of up to two ounces for specific debilitating medical conditions and its use would be strictly regulated by the state.

Additionally, Senate Resolution 6 is a proposed amendment to the state constitution. Requiring voter approval, it would legalize, regulate and tax the sale of retail marijuana. Tax revenue from the sale of marijuana would be constitutionally earmarked for education and transportation infrastructure.

[end]

4 US GA: GA. Lawmakers Press Forward on Medical CannabisMon, 17 Nov 2014
Source:Rome News-Tribune (GA) Author:Cassidy, Christina A. Area:Georgia Lines:53 Added:11/19/2014

Atlanta (AP) - While an effort to bring a form of medical marijuana to Georgia garnered bipartisan support during the most recent legislative session, hurdles remain as lawmakers prepare to make another attempt at passing the legislation next year.

A bill is being drafted after a series of committee hearings and included testimony from leaders within the law enforcement and medical communities who raised concerns about the use of medical cannabis even under narrow circumstances. Meanwhile, progress is being made in terms of bringing clinical trials to Georgia, but advocates warn that will not be enough to help all those who see the drug as their best hope to manage debilitating conditions.

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5 US GA: Cannabis Oil Clinical Trial At Georgia Regents UniversityThu, 13 Nov 2014
Source:Augusta Chronicle, The (GA) Author:Corwin, Tom Area:Georgia Lines:103 Added:11/13/2014

Running a clinical trial of cannabis-derived oil for 50 children with uncontrollable seizures could cost the state of Georgia $7-8 million, an official with Georgia Regents University told a legislative study committee meeting in Augusta on Wednesday.

But outside of that limited number, entities in the state might be authorized to grow and produce the oil for the thousands of others who might benefit from it, the chief proponent for the legislation said.

The Joint Study Committee on the Prescription of Medical Cannabis for Serious Medical Conditions met at GRU to hear about progress in getting clinical trials started on a drug from GW Pharmaceuticals called Epidiolex that is a highly purified form of cannabidiol, one of the main active compounds in marijuana, with only minuscule amounts of the psychoactive compound tetrahydrocannabinol. An expanded access study for two patients is only awaiting final approval from the Drug Enforcement Administration and that could come any day, said Dr. Michael Diamond, Interim Senior Vice President for Research at GRU.

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6 US GA: Gru Hosts Hearing Of Evidence For Clinical Trials For CannabidiolWed, 12 Nov 2014
Source:Augusta Chronicle, The (GA) Author:Corwin, Tom Area:Georgia Lines:82 Added:11/12/2014

A legislative study committee on narrow uses of medical marijuana will hold a hearing Tuesday at Georgia Regents University to hear about potential medical evidence for use, according to the committee co-chairman. GRU itself is on the verge of beginning clinical trials into a purified cannabis oil drug for children with uncontrollable seizures.

The Joint Study Committee on the Prescription of Medical Cannabis will hold its fourth meeting in the ballroom of the Jaguar Student Activities Center on the Summerville campus of GRU. Previous meetings of the committee had heard from families with various medical conditions that might benefit from marijuana-derived oil and concerns from law enforcement about legalization, said Rep. Allen Peake, R-Macon, the chief proponent of legislation that would allow its use only under strict conditions.

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7 US GA: 'Nobody Can Help Us Here': Family Moving West For MedicalWed, 12 Nov 2014
Source:Gwinnett Daily Post, The (GA) Author:Sharpe, Joshua Area:Georgia Lines:90 Added:11/12/2014

The Isabellas are tired of waiting on Georgia.

Next month, the Lawrenceville family plans to pull up roots and head for Colorado, where they can obtain a non-intoxicating form of medical marijuana for 7-year-old Brooke Isabella, who suffers from a chronic seizure disorder.

"Nobody can help us here," said father Chip Isabella, who was among parents rallying legislators earlier this year to allow an oil form of the drug in Georgia. "We're just stuck and we're tired of it. We could've had medical marijuana right here and been using it. We're tired of playing. Let's go."

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8US GA: Feds Eye Officers In Botched Drug Raid, But Challenges RemainWed, 15 Oct 2014
Source:Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) Author:Boone, Christian Area:Georgia Lines:Excerpt Added:10/18/2014

Federal prosecutors on Tuesday indicated they were disappointed criminal charges were not brought against any of the officers involved in the botched drug raid that left a toddler disfigured.

But remedying that decision won't be easy for U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates, who faces a much higher threshold than that required on the state and local level.

"You have to show the person knowingly or willfully did what they did," said former assistant U.S. Attorney Buddy Parker. "You'd essentially have to develop evidence that these were rogue cops at work."

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9 US GA: Edu: Editorial: Medical Marijuana: Blurring The LinesWed, 01 Oct 2014
Source:Cluster, The (GA Edu) Author:Glasscock, Caitlin Area:Georgia Lines:77 Added:10/06/2014

Medical marijuana, also referred to as cannabis, is a topic in the medical and drug field that brings up much debate over whether or not it should be legalized in all of the states.

Medical marijuana is legal in 23 states and Washington D.C. Currently only two states have legalized marijuana for recreational use. If medical marijuana is truly needed and beneficial, patients should have access to the treatment that will help them.

Several states have laws that decriminalize marijuana. Decriminalization of marijuana means that minor possession charges will no longer be handled as serious crimes. This could be compared to the legal actions taken towards traffic violations. Legalization is where charges would not exist on the state level.

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10US GA: Law Officials Express Cautious Support For Medical MarijuanaThu, 02 Oct 2014
Source:Times, The (Gainesville, GA) Author:Silavent, Joshua Area:Georgia Lines:Excerpt Added:10/02/2014

While expressing support for limited use of medical marijuana, law enforcement officials from across the state Wednesday warned of a slippery slope leading to legalized recreational use.

Their warning came during a hearing at Georgia Gwinnett College in Lawrenceville of the Joint Study Committee on Prescription of Medical Cannabis for Serious Medical Conditions.

State lawmakers are considering allowing the use of cannabis oil - which contains anti-inflammatory and anti-anxiety cannibidiols but is free of THC, the psychoactive ingredient that gets people high - to treat children with seizure disorders.

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11US GA: Habersham Task Force Involved In Botched Raid DisbandedWed, 01 Oct 2014
Source:Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) Author:Boone, Christian Area:Georgia Lines:Excerpt Added:10/01/2014

The task force responsible for supplying information used in the May drug raid that left a toddler disfigured is being disbanded.

The news comes just as a Habersham County grand jury is hearing evidence about the Mountain Judicial Circuit Narcotics Criminal Investigation and Suppression Team's role in the planning of the raid that left 19-month-old Bounkham "Bou Bou" Phonesavanh seriously injured after a stun grenade exploded in his playpen.

"It's interesting that would happen now," said Mawuli Davis, the attorney representing the Phonesavanh family.

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12 US GA: Real Families Suffer As States Defer On MedicalSun, 21 Sep 2014
Source:Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL) Author:Fouriezos, Nicholas Area:Georgia Lines:173 Added:09/21/2014

ATLANTA - The question hovers over Kelli Hopkins every day.

It rises with her each morning as she feeds her two remaining sick children their seizure medicine five pills for Mary Elizabeth, seven for Michala. It follows as she packs them and their wheelchairs into the van for another hospital visit, another brain scan, another trip to the emergency room. It wakes her at 2 a.m. each night when she rolls over on the couch she's slept on for years only to see carpet where there used to be a cot.

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13 US GA: OPED: If You Think Big Tobacco Was Bad, Wait Till YouSun, 21 Sep 2014
Source:Rome News-Tribune (GA) Author:Sabet, Kevin Area:Georgia Lines:192 Added:09/21/2014

Proponents of legalization and other drug policy reforms make some important points.

It is true that most people who try drugs do not get addicted - they stop after using a few times.

It is also true - and regrettable - that America's incarceration rate is embarrassingly high and that blacks and Latinos bear the brunt of harsh arrest policies. And, finally, despite our best efforts, fully eradicating drug use and its consequences remains a distant dream.

But placing faith that legalization will help any of these issues is misguided. In fact, legalization threatens to further contribute to disproportionate health outcomes among minorities, all the while creating a massive new industry - Big Tobacco 2.0 - intent on addicting the most vulnerable in society.

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14 US GA: OPED: Why Research Is Biased Against Pot to Focus onSun, 21 Sep 2014
Source:Rome News-Tribune (GA) Author:Hart, Carl Area:Georgia Lines:162 Added:09/21/2014

Is America's scientific research biased to focus on the harmful effects of drugs? That was one of the questions at the heart of a congressional hearing this summer seeking to understand more comprehensively the scientific evidence related to marijuana. And it was how Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, found herself being grilled by Rep. Gerald Connolly, D-Va.

"Dr. Volkow, your testimony seems to completely disregard lots of other data," he accused.

Volkow and I were the witnesses, along with a representative from the Food and Drug Administration. Connolly was particularly interested in learning why NIDA and the FDA - both part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - supported so little research into the potential medical uses of marijuana. He appeared exasperated by the focus on drugs' harmful effects, which "impeded the ability to have legitimate research that could benefit human health."

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15 US GA: Edu: OPED: War On Drugs Exacerbates Issue, DeemedTue, 16 Sep 2014
Source:Red and Black, The (U of Georgia, GA Edu) Author:Woo, Sam Area:Georgia Lines:85 Added:09/20/2014

In a world where you can be arrested and incarcerated for being in possession of a harmless plant, it is time to reform our drug policies and rethink the war on drugs altogether.

The Global Commission on Drug Policy reported the war on drugs is both counter-intuitive and harmful to society. Not only is prohibition completely ineffective, but in many ways it only exacerbates the problem and has led to a wide array of social and health issues throughout the globe. After a half century of failure, it is time to stop wasting time, tax money and resources and finally put an end to this ridiculous war on drugs.

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16 US GA: Column: Marijuana Legalization Has Many BenefitsTue, 09 Sep 2014
Source:Barrow County News (GA) Author:Dunlap, Stanley Area:Georgia Lines:84 Added:09/12/2014

"Reefer Madness" was a 1930's propaganda style film extolling the dangers of marijuana.

The film has become infamous for its overdramatic portrayal that the drug would lead to chaos for its users. Decades later the rationale behind the effects of marijuana tends to be less extreme, but those people against its legalization should realize it's only a matter of time before other states decriminalize the substance.

The states of Washington and Colorado have become the lab rats for studying the legalization of pot. So far, chaos has not ensued. The latest news out of Colorado regarding marijuana was that the state could be missing out on $21.5 million in taxes because of too high taxes and fees (more government regulation), according to Fox31 Denver.

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17 US GA: PUB LTE: Legal Marijuana Is Taxable SubstanceWed, 27 Aug 2014
Source:Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) Author:Roberts, Fred Area:Georgia Lines:29 Added:08/30/2014

Regarding "Analyze cost, benefits of legal pot" (Atlanta Forward, Aug. 21), J. Tom Morgan makes a cogent case for the decriminalization of marijuana, citing the racist scare tactics of the Depression-era director of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics and the specious argument that it is a gateway to harder drugs.

Let's also consider these points: Legal marijuana can be taxed; its potency can be standardized; criminal enterprises will no longer profit from trafficking in it, and useful medical research into its therapeutic use can begin. And decriminalization will ease the current enormous strain on our courts and prisons. With the taxpayer money saved, maybe then we can turn our attention to the shortcomings of our infrastructure and educational systems.

FRED ROBERTS, DECATUR

[end]

18US GA: OPED: Analyze Costs, Benefits Of Legal PotThu, 21 Aug 2014
Source:Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) Author:Morgan, J. Tom Area:Georgia Lines:Excerpt Added:08/22/2014

Two states have legalized small amounts of marijuana possession. More than 30 states have legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes. Recently, The New York Times editorial board called for the decriminalization of marijuana. Kenneth Thompson, the district attorney of Kings County, N.Y., announced he will no longer prosecute misdemeanor marijuana possession cases.

In light of the changes in the rest of the country, the Georgia Legislature should examine whether to repeal Georgia's own prohibition of marijuana possession. Prior to 1937, cannabis was legal and recognized by the American Medical Association as a legitimate pharmaceutical. It was prescribed by doctors in this country and England; Queen Victoria was prescribed marijuana for menstrual cramps.

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19US GA: OPED: Let's Balance Medical Need With Common SenseThu, 21 Aug 2014
Source:Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) Author:Thompson, Julianne Area:Georgia Lines:Excerpt Added:08/22/2014

During the 2014 General Assembly, Kay Godwin and I, co-founders of the Capitol Coalition of Conservative Leaders, and other conservatives even on the religious right supported the use of medical cannabis for intractable seizure disorder.

My heart broke for children suffering day and night with more than 300 violent seizures per week that only had one medical choice, and that was to basically be put in a nearly comatose state by prescription drugs. The accounts of parents who had used medical cannabis oil and had amazing success - in some cases taking the seizures down to less than two per week - were encouraging.

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20 US GA: Column: Obama Says He Ended the 'War on Drugs:' Don'tSat, 19 Jul 2014
Source:Ledger-Enquirer (Columbus, GA) Author:Blanks, Jonathan Area:Georgia Lines:105 Added:07/19/2014

If the Obama administration is to be believed, America's infamous "War on Drugs" is over. In its most recent National Drug Control Strategy, released last week, officials promised a more humane and sympathetic approach to drug users and addiction. Out, the report suggests, are "tough on crime" policies. Rather than more police and more prisons, officials talk about public health and education. They promise to use evidence-based practices to combat drug abuse. And they want to use compassionate messaging and successful reentry programs to reduce the stigma drug offenders and addicts face.

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21US GA: Baby Injured By Police Grenade Left Hospital, Headed HomeTue, 01 Jul 2014
Source:Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) Author:Visser, Steve Area:Georgia Lines:Excerpt Added:07/06/2014

The toddler critically injured during a SWAT raid in Habersham County is headed home to Wisconsin and the long road to recovery, a lawyer for the family told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Bounkham Phonesavanh was seriously injured when a "flash bang" grenade went off in his playpen during an early morning raid a month ago that netted no drugs and no drug dealer. The explosion caused a brain injury, collapsed a lung and disfigured the boy's face, said Mawuli Davis, an attorney for the family.

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22US GA: Welfare Drug Test Enforcement on HoldWed, 02 Jul 2014
Source:Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) Author:Hart, Ariel Area:Georgia Lines:Excerpt Added:07/05/2014

Governor's Office Cites Related Florida Case.

Opponents of Law That Took Effect Tuesday Preparing to Sue.

The state will hold off on implementation until a court rules on a related Florida case, As a new state law to drug test welfare recipients went into effect Tuesday, state officials said they will delay enforcing it, even as opponents were girding to sue.

With the passage this spring of House Bill 772, the Georgia Legislature and Gov. Nathan Deal approved the nation's hardest-hitting law that calls for drug tests on recipients of poverty aid.

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23US GA: Ga. To Study Medical MarijuanaFri, 20 Jun 2014
Source:Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) Author:Torres, Kristina Area:Georgia Lines:Excerpt Added:06/21/2014

Committee Will Look at Legalizing Limited Use.

Georgia lawmakers are moving ahead with plans to study the legalization of medical marijuana.

General Assembly leaders began this week to appoint committee members charged with making recommendations on the issue, after the state House and Senate failed to reach a compromise in the waning hours of this year's legislative session. State Rep. Allen Peake, RMacon, will lead the committee along with Senate Health and Human Services Chairwoman Renee Unterman, R-Buford.

The appointments come amid a flurry of announcements from the state Capitol over assignments to a number of panels. Some study committees spend state money to look into issues of debatable value, such as self-driving cars. Others will tackle serious issues, such as the state's controversial attempts to store water in underground aquifers.

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24 US GA: PUB LTE: Police Need Drug Kits To Save LivesTue, 17 Jun 2014
Source:Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) Author:Marion, Ralph Area:Georgia Lines:21 Added:06/21/2014

Congratulations to the leadership of Holly Springs and to their police for preparing all their officers with drug overdose kits and the first to do so in the state of Georgia. As a result, they saved a life recently with one of these kits, recommended by one of their own who had lost her child to drug-induced asthma. What are the rest of our communities going to do? Sandy Springs, wake up.

RALPH MARION, SANDY SPRINGS

[end]

25US GA: Trained Last Week, Holly Springs Cop Saved Woman From OverdoseThu, 12 Jun 2014
Source:Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) Author:West, Taylor Area:Georgia Lines:Excerpt Added:06/15/2014

Trained last week, Holly Springs cop saved woman from overdose

In the nine months since her daughter's death, Holly Springs Lieutenant Tanya Smith has done more than grieve.

Smith was instrumental in the passage of legislation allowing drug overdose kits to be carried by non-medical personnel.

Last week her department became the first in the state to carry the naloxone kits and now it has paid off. Sergeant Nathan Ernst used it Wednesday morning to save a 24-year-old woman who was unconscious and experiencing seizures from an overdose.

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26US GA: Column: A Burned Toddler Revives A Rare 'No-Knock' AllianceThu, 05 Jun 2014
Source:Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) Author:Galloway, Jim Area:Georgia Lines:Excerpt Added:06/07/2014

It doesn't matter whether you credit God or Charles Darwin. The looks that babies give us are designed to bring out our most protective instincts.

And so the image of 19-month-old Bounkham "Bou Bou" Phonesavanh, with his face burned away by a flash-bang police grenade hurled into his playpen, has done more than wring a few hearts.

In little more than a week, the injured toddler has sparked a rare alliance of Georgia's disparate political factions: rural Republicans and urban blacks, tea partyers and liberal Democrats - all out to rein in the use of "no-knock" search warrants.

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27US GA: Governor Interested In Results Of Habersham Raid InvestigationTue, 03 Jun 2014
Source:Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) Author:Visser, Steve Area:Georgia Lines:Excerpt Added:06/07/2014

Gov. Nathan Deal said Monday he's awaiting an investigation of the botched drug raid in Habersham County that left a child on life support to determine if any executive action or state legislation is needed.

"Any time you have bad facts like this one, it does give you cause for concern," Deal said. "It's one of those things that require a thorough investigation =C2=85 to know what if anything we can learn from it."

Habersham County District Attorney Brian Rickman said he is investigating whether any officers violated the law when they used a controversial "no-knock warrant" for a raid on a Cornelia house Wednesday =2E

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28 US GA: PUB LTE: It's Time To Stop The War On DrugsThu, 05 Jun 2014
Source:Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) Author:Goodwin, Warren Area:Georgia Lines:25 Added:06/07/2014

The Habersham County toddler's injuries ("Toddler severely hurt in police raid," News, May 30) are the predictable result of our militarized policing and the drug war. After four decades of the "War on Drugs," America's police forces have more military hardware than do many countries' armies. According to the Cato Institute, more than 50,000 "no knock" warrants are issued here each year. These military-style raids predictably lead to tragedies like the one Thursday. Countries like Switzerland and Portugal, in contrast, treat addiction and drug abuse as a public health issue. It's time we follow their examples; it's time for a cease fire.

WARREN GOODWIN, ATLANTA

[end]

29 US GA: PUB LTE: Habersham County Sheriff's Office Should HaveWed, 04 Jun 2014
Source:Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) Author:Bickham, T. Dennis Area:Georgia Lines:34 Added:06/07/2014

All citizens should be outraged by the Habersham County Sheriff's office. ("Toddler severely hurt in police raid," News, May 30). Police officers stormed a house and threw a "distraction device" into a 19-month-old boy's playpen. The child now has a 50 percent chance of survival and extensive facial injuries for life and possible brain damage, assuming he survives. Apparently Sheriff Joey Terrell relied on a confidential informant to get a "no knock" warrant for a house where the informant allegedly bought drugs. Apparently no surveillance was done prior to busting down the door and inflicting carnage on an innocent baby boy. The person the sheriff wanted to arrest was not even home and those who were there were visitors from Wisconsin. They had no connection to the alleged drug activity. If the sheriff's office would have simply done some cursory surveillance it would have discovered the van parked in front of the house had infant car seats and other indications of the baby being there. If they would have staked out the house to determine if and when the person they were looking for was there, they most likely would have discovered the baby and family.

T. DENNIS BICKHAM III, ATLANTA

[end]

30US GA: Probe of Botched Raid GrowsWed, 04 Jun 2014
Source:Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) Author:Visser, Steve Area:Georgia Lines:Excerpt Added:06/07/2014

State, Federal Agencies Look into Incident That Left Child Badly Hurt.

The investigation into the botched drug raid that left a baby critically injured is growing to include state and federal authorities.

"As a parent, I can't imagine the horrible nightmare that this family is enduring," said U.S. Attorney Sally Yates on Tuesday. "Federal and state authorities are coordinating to get to the bottom of what happened."

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced Tuesday that at the request of the district attorney it would investigate whether narcotics officers violated the law in executing a controversial "no-knock" search warrant last Wednesday.

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31US GA: Lawsuit: Swat Grenade Burned Clayton WomanFri, 06 Jun 2014
Source:Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) Author:Visser, Steve Area:Georgia Lines:Excerpt Added:06/07/2014

Attorney: 2010 Raid Mirrors Botched One in Habersham County.

Injured Parties in Both Cases Were Not Targets.

Like the baby in Habersham County, a woman ended up in intensive care after Clayton County SWAT officers tossed a flash-bang grenade that she contends landed on her as she slept.

Treneshia Dukes, now 27, said in an ongoing federal lawsuit that police tossed the grenade through her bedroom window nearly four years ago when executing a "no-knock" search warrant. She spent three days in Grady Memorial Hospital's intensive care burn unit.

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32US GA: Police Had To Know Child Was At Risk, Mom SaysSat, 31 May 2014
Source:Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) Author:Visser, Steve Area:Georgia Lines:Excerpt Added:06/03/2014

A drug buy, a no-knock police raid and a flash-bang grenade have left a 19-month-old child clinging to life today and his family and commentators questioning the tactics that put him in intensive care. The 3 a.m. raid Wednesday in Habersham County unearthed no drugs, no weapons, no bundles of cash and not even the suspect drug dealer.

It left a visiting family from Wisconsin -- whom authorities described as unlucky innocents -- terrified, and their son on a ventilator. The raid also puts the spotlight on the controversial no-knock warrants and whether magistrates too easily approve them, said Robert Friedmann, a policing expert at Georgia State University. Friedmann noted the no-knock warrants -- where police officers kick in doors instead of announcing their presence -- are common in drug cases but "the problem is you come up with consequences like this. Police have a hard time explaining. They can explain and they can explain.

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33US GA: Ga. Toddler Injured By Flash Grenade In Drug RaidFri, 30 May 2014
Source:USA Today (US) Author:Shirek, Jon Area:Georgia Lines:Excerpt Added:06/01/2014

CORNELIA, Ga. -- A toddler caught in the middle of a drug raid was seriously injured Wednesday when a police flash grenade exploded in his playpen.

The raid in which the 19-month-old child, who is recovering at Grady Hospital's burn unit in Atlanta, was injured was at a house in Habersham County.

Habersham County Sheriff Joey Terrell, who described the device in various ways - a "stun grenade" and "flash grenade" and "flash bang" - said there was no indication that a family with four children were guests in the suspected drug dealer's house when his team went in and threw that flash grenade to try to arrest the suspect.

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34 US GA: Heroin Use On Rise In GeorgiaSun, 11 May 2014
Source:Augusta Chronicle, The (GA) Author:Johnson, Bianca Cain Area:Georgia Lines:85 Added:05/13/2014

Heroin use is on the rise statewide, while many other drugs appear to be waning, according to an analysis of drug submissions to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's crime lab.

The analysis shows heroin submissions have increased by more than 300 percent since 2011. The current fiscal year has seen a 20 percent increase, while all other drugs during that period have decreased by 22 percent.

It's a problem local police are also dealing with.

Richmond County sheriff's Sgt. Jason Vinson took a four-year break from the narcotics division to work in criminal investigations. When he recently returned to narcotics, he said he was surprised at the drug's sudden popularity.

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35 US GA: Edu: Marijuana Legalization Supporters Rally At AthensMon, 28 Apr 2014
Source:Red and Black, The (U of Georgia, GA Edu) Author:Andrews, Evelyn Area:Georgia Lines:94 Added:04/30/2014

Supporters for marijuana law reform rallied outside the Athens-Clarke County City Hall on Monday.

"Marijuana is a popular issue around the country right now, and we are here to basically bring public attention to the fact that we are not criminals and people who use marijuana are no more criminal than a person who drinks wine," said James Bell, director of the Georgia Campaign for Access Reform and Education Project.

The rally was facilitated by the Georgia CARE Project.

Bell said he expected up to 50 people, from different areas of Georgia and other states, to attend the event.

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36 US GA: Column: Divisible, With Liberty And Justice For SomeSun, 27 Apr 2014
Source:Ledger-Enquirer (Columbus, GA) Author:Pitts, Leonard Area:Georgia Lines:89 Added:04/28/2014

It swallowed people up.

That's what it really did, if you want to know the truth. It swallowed them up whole, swallowed them up by the millions.

In the process, it hollowed out communities, broke families, stranded hope. Politicians brayed that they were being "tough on crime" -- as if anyone is really in favor of crime -- as they imposed ever longer and more inflexible sentences for nonviolent drug offenses. But the "War on Drugs" didn't hurt drugs at all: Usage rose by 2,800 percent - -- that's not a typo -- in the 40 years after it began in 1971. The "War" also made America the biggest jailer on Earth and drained a trillion dollars -- still not a typo -- from the treasury.

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37 US GA: Gov. Deal Signs Bill Granting Amnesty To Those CallingThu, 24 Apr 2014
Source:Daily Reporter (IN)          Area:Georgia Lines:30 Added:04/25/2014

ATLANTA - Gov. Nathan Deal has signed into law a bill that would grant amnesty in some cases to those who seek medical help in the event of a drug overdose.

Deal signed the bill Thursday, and it takes immediate effect. Lawmakers had overwhelmingly passed the "Georgia 911 Medical Amnesty Law."

Supporters of the law argue some people are too afraid to call for medical help for themselves or others because they fear prosecution on drug charges. The law would grant amnesty only on drug possession charges when amounts are small.

Supporters say the bill won't help drug dealers, but could save lives.

Some 17 states have passed similar so-called "Good Samaritan laws."

[end]

38US GA: OPED: Medicinal Marijuana Needs StudyThu, 17 Apr 2014
Source:Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) Author:Rusche, Sue Area:Georgia Lines:Excerpt Added:04/21/2014

Americans are confused about medical marijuana.

On the one hand, research shows some of marijuana's components may become useful medicines. Two, Marinol and Cesamet, already are. Both are synthetic versions of THC, marijuana's psychoactive component. Doctors prescribe them to reduce chemotherapy-related nausea and AIDS wasting in patients when nothing else works.

Two more, Sativex and Epidiolex, are undergoing U.S. clinical trials. Sativex is equal parts THC and cannabidiol. If it is approved by the Food and Drug Administration, doctors will prescribe it to treat advanced cancer pain, muscle spasticity and neuropathic pain caused by multiple sclerosis. Epidiolex is purified cannabidiol that contains no THC. It is just beginning clinical trials here to treat seizures caused by Dravet and LennoxGastaut syndromes.

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39 US GA: Medical Marijuana Used In Augusta, Activist SaysSat, 19 Apr 2014
Source:Augusta Chronicle, The (GA) Author:Corwin, Tom Area:Georgia Lines:140 Added:04/21/2014

Diverse Range Of People Said To Be Involved

Even without a law to cover them in Georgia, dozens and maybe hundreds of people in the Augusta area are using marijuana or a derivative to treat ailments, one activist said.

Medical marijuana activist Maison Harley said their shadowy use clamors for the state to extend legal protection amid an evolving understanding of the potential health benefits of cannabis.

"That's the gray area that all of these families are having to go into," he said. "Most of them have taken it upon themselves to find these products via any means necessary."

[continues 906 words]

40US GA: Governor Backs Medical Marijuana TrialsThu, 10 Apr 2014
Source:Times, The (Gainesville, GA) Author:Foody, Kathleen Area:Georgia Lines:Excerpt Added:04/11/2014

ATLANTA - Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal on Thursday announced two separate efforts to pursue clinical trials on a cannabis-based drug that has shown promise in helping children who suffer from seizure disorders.

The first would pair a private pharmaceutical company with a Georgia Regents University professor and expand ongoing clinical trials of a product using cannabidiol, or CDB, a compound in marijuana that doesn't produce a high in users.

The second model would create a new clinical trial led by the university, with cannabis obtained from the National Institute on Drug Abuse research farm at the University of Mississippi. A new trial likely would take longer to begin because it requires more steps for federal approval, Deal said.

[continues 358 words]

41 US GA: PUB LTE: Leave It To DoctorsWed, 09 Apr 2014
Source:Macon Telegraph (GA) Author:Sharpe, Robert Area:Georgia Lines:34 Added:04/10/2014

Georgia Rep. Allen Peake, R-Macon is to be commended for making the case for medical cannabis. While there have been studies showing that cannabis can shrink cancerous tumors, medical cannabis is essentially a palliative drug. If a doctor recommends cannabis to a cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy and it helps them feel better, then it's working. In the end, medical cannabis is a quality of life decision best left to patients and their doctors.

Drug warriors waging war on non-corporate drugs contend that organic cannabis is not an effective health intervention. Their prescribed intervention for medical cannabis patients is handcuffs, jail cells and criminal records. This heavy-handed approach suggests that drug warriors should not be dictating health-care decisions. It's long past time to let doctors decide what is right for their patients; sick patients should not be criminalized for daring to seek relief using cannabis.

- -- Robert Sharpe, MPA

Policy Analyst Common Sense for Drug Policy Washington, D.C.

[end]

42US GA: WebMD Survey Says Most Doctors Believe Medicinal WeedThu, 03 Apr 2014
Source:Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) Author:Bailey, Jasmine Area:Georgia Lines:Excerpt Added:04/04/2014

A small victory for those fighting to legalize marijuana - a new survey suggests doctors are actually more supportive of the drug than the average consumer.

According to the survey, 62 percent of doctors said medical marijuana can be helpful in treating certain medical issues while only 52 percent of consumers said the same.

"It has a whole host of therapeutic indications. I mentioned cancer patients, i mentioned AIDS patients. It's useful for glaucoma. It has anti-inflammatory properties ... It's been used for hundreds of years for a variety of aliments." (Via CBS) According to HealthDay News, "Support for medical marijuana was highest among cancer specialists and blood disorder specialists. For those two groups, 82 percent said marijuana can provide real benefits to patients." Read more trending stories The WebMD survey looked at answers from more than 1,500 doctors and almost 3,000 consumers. However, don't count on the survey's findings having much bearing on whether states will actually legalize pot. The site explains that's because, "Solid data on marijuana's health benefits are lacking. Research has been limited because the federal government has designated marijuana as a 'Schedule I' substance, a designation used for the most dangerous drugs having 'no accepted medicinal use and a high potential for abuse.'"

[continues 108 words]

43 US GA: OPED: Why Georgia Needs Medical CannabisSun, 30 Mar 2014
Source:Macon Telegraph (GA) Author:Peake, Allen Area:Georgia Lines:85 Added:04/03/2014

When the 2014 General Assembly session began 10 short weeks ago, the odds of a medical cannabis bill passing this year would have been longer than having a perfect March Madness bracket in Vegas because no one was crazy enough to take that bet.

But by the time the last day of the legislative session arrived, the issue of legalizing cannabidiol oil in Georgia to help children with seizure disorders had picked up such momentum and popularity that its passage seemed almost a certainty. But, despite the overwhelming support, the effort failed on the last night. Many people have asked me what in the heck happened.

[continues 619 words]

44 US GA: Column: A Trip To The Pot Shop: It Won't Be The LastWed, 02 Apr 2014
Source:Marietta Daily Journal (GA) Author:Malkin, Michelle Area:Georgia Lines:117 Added:04/03/2014

PUEBLO WEST, Colo. - It's 9 a.m. on a weekday, and I'm at the Marisol Therapeutics pot shop. This is serious business. Security is tight. ID checks are frequent. Merchandise is strictly regulated, labeled, wrapped and controlled. The store is clean, bright and safe. The staffers are courteous and professional. Customers of all ages are here.

There's a middle-aged woman at the counter nearby who could be your school librarian. On the opposite end of the dispensary, a slender young soldier in a wheelchair with close-cropped hair, dressed in his fatigues, consults with a clerk. There's a gregarious cowboy and an inquisitive pair of baby boomers looking at edibles. A dude in a hoodie walks in with his backpack.

[continues 814 words]

45 US GA: Edu: OPED: Death Of Medical Marijuana Bill LeavesTue, 01 Apr 2014
Source:Red and Black, The (U of Georgia, GA Edu) Author:Woo, Sam Area:Georgia Lines:90 Added:04/03/2014

On March 20, sick children, desperate parents and passionate advocates left the state Capitol disappointed. They received the unfortunate news that House Bill 885, more commonly known as the medicinal marijuana bill, failed to pass in the Senate because of a lack of compromise between the House and the Senate.

HB 885 would have allowed patients suffering from glaucoma, cancer and seizures to have access to potentially life-saving forms of medicinal marijuana. If passed, the bill could have provided thousands with the medication that they need in order to live a life free of seizures, free of pain and free of suffering. Unfortunately for these individuals, Sen. Renee Unterman destined HB 885 for failure because of her own political agenda.

[continues 491 words]

46US GA: Column: Marijuana Isn't What It Used To BeTue, 01 Apr 2014
Source:Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) Author:Emery, C. Eugene Jr. Area:Georgia Lines:Excerpt Added:04/02/2014

"Today's marijuana is 300 percent to 800 percent more potent than the pot of yesteryear." Heidi Heilman in an op-ed piece March 13 in The Providence (R.I.) Journal

In the debate over whether marijuana should be legalized, one issue is the question of potency. Critics of legalization say the street drug now available for sale is not the marijuana that a lot of baby boomers and Generation Xers have used.

One of them, Heidi Heilman, the director of New England field development for Smart Approaches to Marijuana and president of the Massachusetts Prevention Alliance, raised the issue March 13 in an op-ed in The Providence Journal in Rhode Island.

[continues 742 words]

47 US GA: Editorial: U.S. Should Cut Prison CostsSat, 29 Mar 2014
Source:Calhoun Times (GA)          Area:Georgia Lines:78 Added:03/31/2014

Among the casualties of a failed war on drugs that has spanned more than three decades are bloated prisons that cost the nation nearly $90 billion a year. With only 5 percent of the world's population, the United States holds 25 percent of its prisoners; more than 2 million people are locked up in this country.

The U.S. Sentencing Commission, which sets penalty guidelines for federal judges, is considering changes that would shorten average sentences for nonviolent drug offenders by roughly one year - to 51 months from 63 months. That would result in a 17 percent sentence reduction for the average offender.

[continues 336 words]

48US GA: Drug-Dealing Newton Deputy SentencedFri, 28 Mar 2014
Source:Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) Author:Morris, Mike Area:Georgia Lines:Excerpt Added:03/31/2014

A former Newton County sheriff 's deputy who prosecutors said sold marijuana from his marked patrol vehicle while in uniform has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for possessing a firearm during a drug transaction.

According to United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates, Darrell Mathis sold various quantities of marijuana to a confidential source who was working with the FBI as well as to an undercover FBI agent from May to September 2013.

Mathis, 41, of Lithonia, was arrested on Sept. 19 when he met with the undercover FBI agent while in possession of one pound of marijuana. He was convicted on Dec. 6 after entering a guilty plea.

"Mathis abandoned his oath as a deputy sheriff, and chose the life of a drug dealer," Yates said. "His decision to violate the law also violated the trust the public places in law enforcement."

[end]

49US GA: OPED: Needing Medical CannabisFri, 28 Mar 2014
Source:Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) Author:Peake, Allen Area:Georgia Lines:Excerpt Added:03/31/2014

When the 2014 General Assembly session began 10 short weeks ago, the odds of a medical cannabis bill passing this year would have been longer than having a perfect March Madness bracket in Vegas, because no one was crazy enough to take that bet. State Rep. Allen Peake with Hunter Klepinger.

But by the last day of the legislative session, the issue of legalizing cannabidiol oil in Georgia to help children with seizure disorders had picked up such momentum and popularity that its passage seemed almost a certainty.

[continues 627 words]

50 US GA: PUB LTE: Georgia Marches Boldly Into The 19th CenturyFri, 28 Mar 2014
Source:Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) Author:Fleming, Lloyd E. Area:Georgia Lines:26 Added:03/30/2014

Finally, Georgia is No. 1. We have what must be the most NRA-friendly gun laws in the country. Combine this with a statutory rejection of the Affordable Care Act; requiring drug testing for SNAP recipients; and refusal to allow medical marijuana to comfort ill children, and our Legislature has really distinguished itself. But don't worry.

Anyone seeing one of our Confederate license tags will understand that they have experienced time travel and landed squarely in the middle of the 19th century. Or they might figure this out from the condition of our crumbling roads and bridges, a consequence of the nation's lowest taxes. Way to go, Georgia.

LLOYD E. FLEMING, DULUTH

[end]


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