Medical marijuana’s first big step

Moderated by Tom Sabulis

In today's column, State Rep. Allen Peake, the House sponsor of Georgia's medical marijuana bill, pushes for its passage in the Senate and says he feels Gov. Nathan Deal will sign the bill into law. On Wednesday, the chamber voted 158-2 to decriminalize the possession of cannabis oil with no more than 5 percent of the chemical that produces the highs associated with pot. Today, Peake writes about the upcoming challenge for the bill in the Senate, where lawmakers may limit the scope of its coverage. In our second column, a medical expert with the American Cancer Society calls for a hike in the state cigarette tax to increase revenue and reduce addiction and disease.