Georgia’s Republican Legislature is poised to vote on one of greatest deceptions ever put before it: a proposal to expand the use of medical marijuana in this state – a front for a nationwide effort to eventually legalize dope in all 50 states.
Senate Bill 16 would almost double the number of medical conditions eligible for treatment with the strongest dosage of cannabis oil allowed in Georgia. Those conditions expand to include Alzheimer’s disease, AIDS, autism, epidermolysis bullosa, peripheral neuropathy and Tourette’s syndrome. It would also allow usage for patients in hospice.
While all that sounds “compassionate,” marijuana use in all forms is illegal under federal law. In addition, medical science has enabled a host of pain management therapies, and advances in pain management have been remarkable. For example, innovations have been made allowing nerve blocks to alleviate pain in some dying patients.
But instead, the Legislature is being duped by efforts funded by three progressive billionaires intent on legalizing “weed.” Among them are hedge fund billionaire George Soros, the man who financed grassroots operations against the election of President Trump, funded mass protests against him, and is now financing efforts to impede his Presidency.
Along with Soros, Peter Lewis of Progressive Insurance, and John Sperling of the University of Phoenix – three ultra-wealthy liberals – are funding nationwide efforts to convince state lawmakers to expand the use of medical marijuana and, eventually, for recreational use.
National Families in Action released a study last week showing that, from 1996 to 2016, the three billionaires flooded $71 million into state ballot initiatives for marijuana for recreational or “medical” use.
The study, entitled “Tracking the Money That’s Legalizing Marijuana and Why It Matters,” reveals the strategies and tactics of the drug legalizers who admit that once the drug is allowed for medical purposes, full recreational use is certain.
At a conference in 1993, Richard Cowen, then-director of NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws,) said, “The key to it [full legalization] is medical access. Because, once you have hundreds of thousands of people using marijuana medically, under medical supervision, the whole scam is going to be blown.”
Georgia’s Republican lawmakers, however, campaign with one position on legalizing dope and endangering children and families and yet vote another way. Led by Rep. Allen Peake (R-Macon), they claim they are against legalizing drugs yet they are falling into this well-funded, nationwide scheme.
In 2014, the House agreed to permit the use of medical marijuana with less than 1 percent THC oil for children with intractable seizures.
By 2015, the Legislature enacted a law allowing up to 5 percent THC for eight different conditions, for every age group.
This year, proponents certainly on the road to full legalization now have this full list of additional medical conditions for marijuana use.
At a NORML conference where he spoke about the resistance to full legalization of pot, Bill Zimmerman, with the Campaign for a New Drug Policy, said “…you need to educate them, help them understand the position they’re taking is wrong, ill-informed, misguided, whatever.” He advocated for incremental steps for legalization. “Every time we win on this issue,” he said about state initiatives, “puts pressure on the federal government” to repeal federal drug laws.
Proponents are making tremendous strides in Georgia, thanks to a willing Republican Legislature that tells its voters it is against legalizing drugs yet is doing everything it can to move toward full legalization.
In three short years, Georgia has moved from a proposed 0.3 of 1 percent THC solution for one condition, to 5 percent for eight medical conditions. It will vote shortly to expand that to 14 conditions. Whether unwittingly or deliberately, Rep. Peake is leading Georgia relentlessly toward full legalization.
In states across the nation, marijuana has been legalized to treat more than 50 diseases and conditions. By embracing pot over true advances in medical science, we could be spawning a new generation of snake oil salesmen out to make a profit off of those suffering from severe illnesses.
It’s time we call out Republicans, from our Governor to state legislators, for what they are doing: endangering families and children by leading our state on the road to full legalization of marijuana – courtesy of enemies of the GOP.
Virginia Galloway is the regional field director of the Faith & Freedom Coalition.
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