Today's moderator: Rick Badie

Rick Badie joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution as an education reporter in 1997. A South Georgia native, he's covered the region's immigrant communities, was a feature obituary writer and opinion columnist for the AJC's Gwinnett edition.

The General Assembly was a breath away from adopting legislation that would have legalized medicinal marijuana. A supporter of the such a law outlines  what it must entail to ensure that patients who benefit from cannabis are granted access safely and legally. Meanwhile, a community activist questions how any state could legalize a drug  that currently bypasses FDA testing and research.