Medical marijuana advocate Barbara Kutchback, of Monroe, Ga., holds a photo of her 3-year-old granddaughter as she listens to other advocates tell of their children’s suffering after a bill to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes was introduced in the State House chamber on Tuesday in Atlanta. Kutchback’s granddaughter suffers from a rare epilepsy disease and they believe marijuana can help relieve her suffering.ATLANTA – An effort to bring medical marijuana to Georgia under certain circumstances gained momentum Tuesday, as more than 80 lawmakers signed on to sponsor a bill introduced by a member of the Republican House leadership.
In introducing the bill, Rep. Allen Peake, R-Macon, was joined by parents of children suffering from medical conditions who say the use of cannabis oil could ease their children’s symptoms and improve their quality of life.
“It will be a monumental task to get this bill done,” said Peake, who serves as secretary/treasurer for the House Majority Caucus. “But if we can do it this session, for these parents and these kids, it will be worth every ounce of political influence I have to get it done.”
Peake said the bill, known as “Haleigh’s Hope Act,” would revive a long-dormant research program allowing academic institutions to distribute medical marijuana to those suffering from specific medical conditions. Haleigh Cox is a young girl who suffers from a medical condition that causes severe seizures, and Peake was spurred to draft the bill after meeting with her and her parents.
The effort has grown as families have united to petition lawmakers to support the bill. Corey Lowe, a former police officer, was among three families who joined Peake at the Capitol on Tuesday. Lowe’s 12-year-old daughter, Victoria, was diagnosed with mitochondrial disease and can have up to 100 seizures a day if not controlled.