It was a good week for state Rep. Allen Peake, the House sponsor of Georgia’s medical marijuana bill. 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.

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Lt. Gov. Burt Jones — pictured at an August rally in Peachtree City that also featured Vice President JD Vance — appears to have scored another legal victory over gubernatorial rival Attorney General Chris Carr in their battle over campaign finance issues. (Arvin Temkar/AJC 2025)

Credit: Arvin Temkar / AJC