Georgia Medical Patients Apply for Marijuana Research Program



Atlanta GA: Two medical patients from Atlanta have applied to the Georgia Composite Medical Board to participate in a Cannabis research program. “The Medical Marijuana Necessities Act” was establish by the Georgia General Assembly in 1980. Formerly called the “Controlled Substance Therapeutic Research Act”. The research program only covers cancer and glaucoma research. Georgia code O.C.G.A. 43-34-121

Patient #1 “David” has a history of colon cancer and was recently operated on to remove cancer from his lung and is currently undergoing chemotherapy. David approached Georgia CARE Project for assistance in the research program application.

Patient #2 “Julie” suffers from Glaucoma and has had an Ahmed Glaucoma Valve implanted that she says is not working to relive pressure in her eye. She is asking to participate in the marijuana research to see if she can save her eye sight.

Cannabis advocate James Bell, director of the Georgia CARE Project (Campaign for Access, Reform & Education), said they are waiting on a response from the medical board concerning the two requests.

“The program is a matter of law’ Bell said. “Patients who can benefit from a natural medicine should be able to have safe and legal access.”

Bell points out that the medical board in 2011 placed a call to Georgia doctors soliciting participation in the Patient Qualification Review Board. The board would review and patients for the program.

“It is now well documented that cannabis (marijuana) have proven medical benefits and can be safely be used to treat numerous conditions, not just cancer and glaucoma” Bell said. “We need the medical board to make this a priority issue and help advance cannabis therapeutics here is Georgia.”

Twenty states and the District of Columbia have medical marijuana laws and New York is set to be the next state to provide the medicine.

Georgia CARE is working with legislators on introducing more comprehensive legislation that will expand the current program.

Georgia CARE Project was established in 2012 as an advocacy group geared toward educating the public, media and legislators on medical marijuana, criminal justice reform and commercial hemp cultivation.