I read with interest the article entitled "Rethinking lifetime prison sentences" (News, Aug. 23). The article is written as if the prisoners were the victims. The dealers did not pull the trigger that killed the addicts but, indirectly, they are responsible for their death. Maybe not a physical death, but one that robs them of their productive life. Eventually, the user will depend on the state and/or their family for their every physical need. The user chose to ingest the drugs and they should bear some of the burden. Many of the users finally figure it out, make a recovery, and become productive. I doubt this is true for dealers; the life is easy, the money is good, no taxes to pay, no up early and off to a real job. I believe the majority of the dealers did not intend to become a dealer, but in order to support their habit they began dealing. LARRY NEWSOME, FAYETTEVILLE [end]
Although Georgia House Bill 1 allows medical marijuana for several severe medical conditions, it needs to be emphasized that none of these conditions have been shown to be helped by this approach, except for some instances of nausea and vomiting in people on cancer chemotherapy. I recently reviewed more than 200 articles in the medical literature back to 1950 on the efficacy of marijuana for many severe medical conditions, and found absolutely no evidence in controlled studies for any other documented benefits. [continues 61 words]
More Than 130 Register; Doctors Want More Info. As of Aug. 11, more than 130 patients including 12-year-old Sydney Wages had qualified for Georgia's new medical marijuana registry after its first 50 days. DALLAS, GA. - Twilight fell on the Wages family's compound, easing the August heat as Jim "J-Bo" Wages gently wrapped his arm around his 12-year-old daughter, Sydney, and kissed her cheek. His message received, J-Bo turned the key to the family four-wheeler and it roared to life. A smile fluttered across his daughter's face, and they raced across the yard. CURTIS COMPTON / AJC Lisa Wages helps her daughter, Sydney, down the steps of their home for a family outing recently in Dallas, Ga. The Wages were among the very first to receive permission from the state to use low-dose cannabis oil without fear of prosecution. [continues 1164 words]
A federal grand jury has indicted a Habersham County deputy sheriff on charges of falsifying information to obtain and execute a "no-knock" search warrant for drugs last year that employed the use of a flash grenade and seriously injured a young child. Nikki Autry, 29, of Clarkesville, a former special agent of the Mountain Judicial Circuit Criminal Investigation and Suppression Team, will be arraigned this week on charges of civil rights violations related to unreasonable searches and seizures and arrest without probable cause. [continues 281 words]
I think it is appalling that state Rep. Alex Atwood views House Bill 233, the Georgia Uniform Civil Forfeiture Procedure Act, as the best Georgia's elected leadership can do for its citizens ("Civil forfeiture reform at last," Opinion, July 17). Is a uniform report that state agencies must complete really the only step forward? If so, that is pathetic. What Rep. Atwood's piece did not say was Georgia sheriffs are exempt from efforts to rein in their abuses. Since only state law enforcement agencies are bound by the new law, not sheriffs, the forced removal of personal property on the side of the road from the whim of a Georgia sheriff will continue. This is why the Georgia Sheriff's Association allowed this bill to pass while defeating all other bills that might have made a real difference. As a Georgia taxpaying citizen and past police officer, I view the Sheriff's Association as extremely bad actors and am truly disappointed no one at the Georgia Legislature could pass real reform. PATTY DURAND, ATLANTA [end]
ATLANTA (AP) - A former Georgia deputy sheriff was indicted Wednesday on federal charges for her role in setting up a "no-knock" drug raid that severely injured a toddler when a flash grenade detonated in his playpen. Former Habersham County Deputy Nikki Autry, 29, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of providing false information in a search warrant affidavit, Acting U.S. Attorney John Horn said. Autry also is charged with providing false information to obtain an arrest warrant. [continues 407 words]
Toddler's Mom Relieved Charges Have Been Filed. The mother of a toddler severely injured by a flash bang grenade expressed relief Thursday that federal civil rights charges were filed against a Habersham County sheriff 's deputy involved in the botched drug raid. "This is a good start towards justice," said Alecia Phonesavanh, whose son, Bounkham "Bou Bou" Phonesavanh, then 19 months old, sustained severe injuries to his face and chest, along with possible brain damage, after a stun grenade landed in his playpen during the May 2014 raid. [continues 321 words]
ATLANTA (AP) - A former Georgia deputy sheriff was indicted Wednesday on federal charges for her role in setting up a "no-knock" drug raid that severely injured a toddler when a flash grenade detonated in his playpen. Former Habersham County Deputy Nikki Autry, 29, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of providing false information in a search warrant affidavit, Acting U. S. Attorney John Horn said. Autry also is charged with providing false information to obtain an arrest warrant. [continues 93 words]
Charlie Horace Scandrett Jr. was a free man Tuesday after serving 18 years of a 30-year sentence on a drug conviction, a punishment a Clayton County judge said was "just not right." "I'm going to do today what probably should have been done a long time ago," said Superior Court Judge Matthew O. Simmons as the Scandrett's father and sister wept during a hearing."Today he can go home to his family." Scandrett could have been out within five years but the state-court judge who was filling in for Simmons the day he was convicted in 1997 gave him the maximum sentence possible under the recidivist laws at the time, said Patrick Mulvaney, a lawyer for the Southern Center for Human Rights. [continues 427 words]
6 things to know now that medical marijuana is legal in Georgia Senate to propose new medical marijuana plan Georgia State Rep. Allen Peake, R-Macon shows a bottle of medical cannabis oil as he presents his House Bill 1 on Feb. 3, 2015. BRANT SANDERLIN / BSANDERLIN@AJC.COM 1. House Bill 1 took effect immediately on Thursday, and makes it legal for people in Georgia who suffer from eight illnesses to possess up to 20 ounces of cannabis oil if a physician signs off. [continues 192 words]
It's good news and bad news for Rome and Floyd County in the battle to curb methamphetamine labs here. First, the good news: the efforts of law enforcement to find and destroy home-grown meth-cooking operations of significant size in this area have been very successful. That, combined with stricter regulation and monitoring of ingredients used by labs, has caused a decline in local meth production. Now users have gravitated to the "one pot cook method," says Barry McElroy, assistant commander of the Rome-Floyd Metro Task Force. This involves making a small quantity of meth in a soft drink bottle and then tossing the bottle away. In the past two years, McElroy's unit has been called to the sites of no more than two labs and they were not full-sized, active operations. [continues 401 words]
ATLANTA (AP) - In an emotional ceremony in his Capitol office, Gov. Nathan Deal signed an executive order Friday ordering state agencies to start preparations now for the enactment of the state's medical marijuana bill. Deal said Friday he'll sign it into law soon after the current legislative session ends April 2 to avoid possible procedural conflicts with other pieces of legislation. He said the bill, sponsored by Rep. Allen Peake, R-Macon, will allow the use of cannabis oil for treatment of seizure disorders, cancer, Lou Gehrig's disease, multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease, mitochondrial disease, Parkinson's and sickle cell anemia. [continues 366 words]
Georgia's medical marijuana proposal took what its chief sponsor called "a giant leap" forward Thursday, March 19, by passing a Senate committee after a long, emotional hearing. A divided Senate Health and Human Services Committee approved House Bill 1, sponsored by Rep. Allen Peake (R-Macon), after hearing testimony on issues ranging from medical treatment and patients' pain to drug addiction and a lack of research data. Peake said the legislation, if ultimately passed by the Legislature, can bring home the Georgia parents who are living with their ailing children in Colorado to give the youngsters access to medical cannabis. Colorado's relatively loose marijuana laws have made it a magnet for families whose children need the treatment. [continues 740 words]
Wrong house, wrong door, wrong guy: Dalton police bust into wrong home while serving warrants A case of confusion while serving warrants has the Dalton Police Department apologizing for a mistake and in the market for a new door. Late Tuesday night, detectives from the department's drug unit were attempting to serve a search warrant two arrest warrants. When no one answered, law enforcement personnel busted through the door with a handheld ram. But they were at the wrong address. [continues 600 words]
ATLANTA - Sebastien and Annett Cotte don't plan to come home to Atlanta from Denver until after their 4-year-old son Jagger dies - or the Georgia Legislature passes a bill making medicinal marijuana legal. At 15 months, doctors told the Cottes their son wouldn't make it to 3, then that he'd never see 4. But he did, and a few months ago they moved to Colorado, where marijuana use is legal, and began to treat his seizures with cannabis oil, his dad said Monday. "He has fewer seizures, but we can't come home if we don't have a bill." [continues 560 words]
It's disappointing that Georgia's sheriffs oppose a measure that could do much good for Georgians who suffer from chronic diseases like cancer and seizure disorders. Last week, the executive director of the Georgia Sheriffs' Association, J. Terry Norris, said members of the organization are concerned that a bill that would legalize cannabis oil for medical use in limited circumstances would expand. Mr. Norris told an Atlanta area TV station that the sheriffs didn't object to children getting the treatment. But adults apparently were another matter. [continues 450 words]
On Feb. 3, Hope United held a rally at the Liberty Plaza, Georgia State Capitol Building to raise awareness for the need of in-state cultivation of medical cannabis. Currently there is a bill being discussed - HB1 - that will give immunity for possessing cannabis oil in Georgia if you meet one or more of the 16 medical conditions listed in this bill. Additionally, there cannot be any more than 5 percent THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive component) - 3 percent for children under 18 - and must meet a minimum of 1:1 ratio of THC:CBD (cannadbidiol). [continues 461 words]
The Medical Association of Georgia (MAG) supports the use of marijuana in strictly controlled medical research programs for patients who have cancer or glaucoma or who suffer from seizures as a result of refractory epilepsy. This is an important issue for MAG, which is the leading voice for the medical profession in Georgia with more than 7,500 member physicians who represent every specialty and practice setting in the state. MAG appreciates the steps that lawmakers in Georgia are taking to reach out to physicians as they craft legislation to address medical marijuana. We also applaud them for seeking solutions for the patients and family members who have to cope with these serious medical conditions on a daily basis. [continues 463 words]
Medical marijuana is an oft-debated and polarizing subject. It inspires images of everything from a drive-thru dispensary on a sunny California beach to an ailing cancer patient desperately seeking a reprieve from the effects of chemotherapy. For my own part, I have no dog in the fight. To me, the real question is simple "what does the science tell us?" As with most pharmacy-grade medicines, we should be looking to studies, clinical trials, and research to objectively assess the benefits of treatment against the possible harmful effects. [continues 501 words]
The push to reform marijuana laws is spreading throughout America. The public debate has reached Georgia thanks to various advocacy groups and a few lawmakers who have pushed the marijuana debate to the forefront of Georgia politics. I applaud the efforts of State Rep. Allen Peake and State Sen. Curt Thompson for filing marijuana legislation that has sparked a much-needed discussion on how best Georgia should deal with marijuana. Rep. Peake wants very limited medical legislation (House Bill 1) while Sen. Thompson wants a more comprehensive law (Senate Bill 7), which would allow for in-state cultivation and dispensing of various forms of cannabis. SB 7 is the better approach to getting medicine to the masses. [continues 414 words]
The legislator championing medical marijuana in Georgia said he hopes to announce an agreement soon with a manufacturer that aims to ship cannabis oil to residents in the state. That process would be facilitated if Georgia passes a bill to offer immunity from prosecution to those families using cannabis oil for medical purposes, said state Rep. Allen Peake, Republican from Macon. He told reporters Monday, Jan. 26, that the cannabis product in question contains so little THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, "that it's considered hemp." [continues 369 words]
Immunity Language Is 'Crucial,' Says State Representative. State Rep. Allen Peake, RMacon, on Monday officially filed his medical marijuana bill with nearly 100 co-sponsors. Peake's bill, House Bill 1, will be assigned to committee on Tuesday. It will offer immunity from prosecution to Georgia families who possess a strain of cannabis oil that may be used to treat a variety of disorders. Peake said he's hopeful that an out-of-state manufacturer will soon agree to ship the product directly to Georgia patients, eliminating the immediate need for a Georgia-based growing and manufacturing program. [continues 148 words]
An AJC poll recently found that more Georgians than not support legalizing marijuana for recreational use. We're not talking about decriminalization here or pot brownies for cancer patients; we're talking full-on, Colorado-style marijuana dispensaries. Forty nine percent of those polled said they support legal weed for adults, while 48 percent disagreed. Registered voters, however, were 52-48 percent against. That's because, I suppose, many pot supporters haven't gotten around to registering yet. The issue of medical marijuana is again at the Legislature, and even though 84 percent of Georgians support legalizing a pot-based medication, the bill was immediately watered down. The proposed legislation would give Georgia patients immunity from prosecution if they possessed or transported cannabis oil. But the section of the bill that would have allowed growing marijuana to create the oil (which doesn't have the THC buzz) was dismissed out of hand. Not officially dismissed, but it was sent off to be studied, which is Legislaturese for sending it off to wither and die. [continues 842 words]
Allen Peake is a man on a mission. The five-term Republican state representative from Macon is the driving force behind proposed legislation to legalize medical marijuana in Georgia. He may succeed this year after suffering a setback in 2014 when the House and Senate got into a bit of political brinksmanship at the last minute and failed to pass his bill, which had sailed through the House with only four negative votes. Undaunted, Peake is back again with H.B. 1. He has the support of Gov. Nathan Deal (albeit with a few conditions) and House Speaker David Ralston. And with an Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll showing 84 percent of Georgians favor passage of medical marijuana legislation, I suspect he has the Senate's attention, as well. [continues 650 words]
ALBANY - Neighborhood watch representatives got a basic education on illegal drugs, their effects and where they come from Saturday at the Community Room of the Albany downtown Law Enforcement Center. The short course delivered by Maj. Bill Berry, of the Albany-Dougherty Drug Unit gave eager members of the Community Council of Watch Associations an earful of information on familiar drugs including ecstasy or "Molly," crack cocaine and prescription pain pills. But they learned about some new threats too, including yaba (a blend of caffeine and methamphetamine), powdered alcohol, synthetic marijuana and even "Krokodil," a drug so devastating it destroys skin and muscle tissue from the inside out. [continues 387 words]
State Rep. Allen Peake, R-Macon, is a man on a mission. He is the driving force behind proposed legislation to legalize medical marijuana in Georgia. He may succeed this year, after suffering a setback in 2014 when the House and Senate got into a bit of political brinksmanship at the last minute and failed to pass his bill, which had sailed through the House with only four negative votes. Peake is back again with House Bill 1. He has the support of Gov. Nathan Deal (albeit with a few conditions) and House Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge. And with an Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll showing 84 percent of Georgians favor passage of medical marijuana legislation, I suspect he has the Senate's attention, as well. [continues 567 words]
You're not going to see legislators rolling up big fat ones over the next few weeks, but members of the General Assembly will be discussing a bill that would legalize medical marijuana in a state that smokes ribs instead of weed. The brainchild of State Rep. Allen Peake, a Republican from Macon, House Bill 1 would provide guidelines for growing, producing and selling therapeutic cannabis, an oil extracted from marijuana plants. Measures are in place in 23 states and, despite the controversy surrounding such legislation, a recent Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll shows 84 percent of registered voters in Georgia favor its passage. [continues 314 words]
A clear majority of Georgia voters support legalizing medical marijuana, but they appear more closely split on whether to permit its recreational use, according to a poll by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The poll (http://bit.ly/1AGI8hY ) showed 84 percent of registered voters agreed the General Assembly should legalize marijuana-based medication. Lawmakers debated - but did not adopt - legislation last year that would have made cannabis oil legally available for the ill. The oil is harvested from marijuana plants and used to treat people with some seizure disorders. [continues 222 words]
ATLANTA -- A proposal from state Rep. Allen Peake, R-Macon, will protect Georgians from state prosecution if they possess certain liquid medical cannabis legally obtained in another state. It remains a federal offense to transport any marijuana products across state lines. The Georgia bill sponsor, Peake, downplayed the transport risk for Georgia families because of a provision of the federal budget signed in December. The so-called "Cromnibus" bill defunds federal law enforcement operations against medical marijuana operations that comply with state laws. [continues 125 words]
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. [continues 967 words]
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. [continues 275 words]
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]
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. [continues 264 words]
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. [continues 670 words]
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. [continues 472 words]
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." [continues 535 words]
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." [continues 274 words]
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. [continues 423 words]
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. [continues 520 words]
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. [continues 108 words]
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. [continues 1171 words]
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. [continues 1244 words]
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." [continues 1092 words]
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. [continues 590 words]
"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. [continues 460 words]
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]
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. [continues 542 words]
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. [continues 521 words]
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. [continues 695 words]
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. [continues 215 words]
Inside Georgia
