Georgia families ‘frustrated’ with revised medical marijuana bill

ATLANTA, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Families in support of the medical marijuana bill are frustrated after Governor Nathan Deal announced he won’t allow in-state growth or distribution of the cannabis oil this year. While they’re happy he supports immediate immunity, they say it’s not fair that they’ll have to leave the Peach State to get access to life saving medicine.

 “I don’t think it’s right having us go to another state just to get the oil and risk prosecution just to bring it back to kids who need it the most. I don’t think it’s right,” Andrew Bechtol sad.

Bechtol says his 11-year-old son’s health could improve tremendously if only he had access to medical marijuana.

“I have a feeling we could get him off half the medicines he’s on.”

Bechtol has hope with House Bill 1. But he is frustrated now that Governor Deal took growing and distributing the cannabis oil off the table this year.

“He’s had a whole year to look into the medical marijuana…the growing it, the distribution of it, and then he wants to wait until the last second and say, ‘Oh wait, we’re not going to grow it here in Georgia.’ No,” Bechtol said.

The advocacy group, Georgia’s Hope, held a rally at the Capitol Tuesday to voice its disappointment, especially after lawmakers spent the past year working on this bill.

“We just went through a medical cannabis study committee that had expert witnesses and testimony from people all over the country on how to set this up and establish what the best bill would be,” Blaine Cloud with Georgia’s Hope said.

Governor Deal does support immediate immunity for these families. That means they can legally get the cannabis oil in another state and bring it back home without fear of prosecution. But this group says that is not enough.

“Immunity does help a little bit and actually start talking about what the options are, but under current federal law, the best way to do this is to have the product in your state, grown in your state, so they can have easy access to everyone who needs it,” Cloud said.

State Representative Allen Peake says a committee will spend the year putting together recommendations for the best growth and distribution model for the state.

“In no form or fashion has the bill been gutted. We’re still moving the ball forward and moving in the right, positive direction,” Peake said.

Peake admits there are some obstacles ahead, but he tells 41NBC he is looking into all options to help these families. In a text message he wrote to 41NBC’s Amanda Castro, Peake stated:

“We are looking at every option, turning over every rock, seeking every legal avenue to provide access to families once they come home. Including shipping from Realm of Caring in Colorado, obtaining a producer from South Carolina, asking Governor Deal to pursue what Cuomo did in New York, and final option, I’ll go get the stuff myself and bring it back to Georgia.”

Peake is confident HB1 will pass and be on the governor’s desk in four weeks.