Legalizing Weed: 9 Quotes From Lawmakers After Pot Failed to Become Legal in Georgia

While recreational use of marijuana will remain illegal in Georgia for now, Gov. Nathan Deal signed into law HB1 – Haleigh's Hope Act, a medicinal-use bill. Here is what some of Georgia's lawmakers have to say about legalizing weed and the reasons why Deal has made it legal for some.



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1. About 15 families with sick loved ones who responded to medical marijuana had left Georgia for states where their family member could find relief. In response to that, Deal in April made medical use of it legal for a handful of medical conditions.
"For the families enduring separation and patients suffering pain, the wait is finally over."
 – CNN

2. Deal also said, "... Now, Georgia children and their families may return home while continuing to receive much-needed care."


3. Georgia's Republican sponsor of HB1, Rep. Allen Peake, said, "My hope is that by next spring, we won't need the Journey of Hope fund." 
– The Telegraph

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4. Peake cited one reason for the bill is the families who left Georgia for pot-friendly states, "… when last year's bill failed, at least 15 Georgia families uprooted their lives and moved to another state to have access to medical cannabis. We need to bring them home."


5. Because the bill dictates legal landscape for a medical cannabis infrastructure starting with growing it, Peake said oversight should be based in the Department of Revenue, alongside alcohol and tobacco. "So that law enforcement doesn't have to go all over the state looking for different facilities."

6. Peake is not in favor of recreational use and thinks it could it is a bad idea to allow unregulated cultivation of the plant, as it could lead to illegal use and sale of the substance. "… I don't want to go down that slippery slope." he said in the state legislature.


7. State Sen. Curt Thompson, D-Tucker, said in a press release, "While I adamantly support cannabis oil treatments for children with severe medical problems, I believe physicians should have the ability to care for all of their patients, regardless of age."
 – Peachtree NORML

8. Thompson is in favor of liberalization and has filed Senate Resolution 6, (which would add a Colorado-style amendment to the Georgia Constitution) that would legalize and tax marijuana for adult recreational use. He said he would like to "start a discussion" on the possible economic impact if Georgia were to legalize recreational marijuana.


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9. Thompson's constitutional amendment would allow retailers to sell no more than 2 ounces of marijuana to anyone 21 years and older. "It would set up a system of recreational marijuana that would include the medicinal … so that there would be one format that would address everything," he said.


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