Georgia activists campaign against medical marijuana bill after in-state grow provision removed

I

n 2015 the Georgia Legislature and the Governor took an important first step toward providing some of our sickest patients with access to cannabis medicine by passing the Haleigh’s Hope Act . Upon doing so everyone involved, including the Governor, said that in-state cultivation would be a topic for another day. Well that day has come and the Governor and much of the General Assembly have abandoned their promise to Georgia patients by stripping HB 722 of an in-state cultivation and dispensary model, forcing patients to continue violating federal drug trafficking laws in order to obtain their medicine.

Because of this perceived betrayal many of the patients and parents that were the strongest champions of 722 have now vowed to defeat it at any cost necessary. This attitude may not worry a term-limited Governor so much but you can be sure that there is an educated and highly-motivated force comprised of parents of children with fatal and life-altering diseases forming right now that will lobby to take out any politician that continues to obstruct access to medicine going forward.

A group of parents and activists led by Dale Jackson, a vocal proponent of in-state medical marijuana cultivation and father of a severely autistic son, has formed in an effort to both defeat 722 as well as to publicly announce their crime of smuggling marijuana oil across the country. Jackson says the they have amassed a group of 200 families (and growing) that are planning an act of mass civil disobedience. In a recent Facebook post Jackson announced a “storm that is coming” upon Governor deal and his team.

“I never thought I would say this but it has to be said! We warned the Governor and his team not to underestimate us and now they are going to have to deal with the storm that is coming! For this to work we have to have YOU HELP US! We need you to send this to your friends and family!”

A poll released today by Atlanta NBC affiliate 11 Alive shows 67 percent of those surveyed favor in-state cultivation of medical marijuana.