It is not the responsibility of our sheriffs to set state policy on matters impacting Georgians; that important function rests exclusively with our governor and General Assembly. Nonetheless, throughout history, our elected sheriffs have been called upon to engage in legislative policy development due to the uniqueness of their office and their duty to protect the lives and property of our citizens. They have always welcomed the opportunity to participate whenever policy may have serious implications for public safety.
The legalization of marijuana and medical cannabis has been widely discussed throughout the nation the past few years. Here in Georgia, we now legally protect certain patients who possess prescribed medical cannabis oil. The sheriffs, through the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association, recognize the potential benefit of such oil for patients suffering chronic seizure disorders. They support our new state law that allows access to low-THC oil for these patients.
The sheriffs, however, oppose the cultivation of marijuana for any purpose. They oppose the medical delivery of chemicals derived from marijuana plants through all methods of smoking. And they oppose the legalization of marijuana for all social, recreational or industrial purposes.
At a recent meeting of the state committee charged with making recommendations to the governor and the General Assembly for amending Georgia’s medical marijuana law, legalizing in-state marijuana cultivation for medical purposes was rejected on a 9-5 vote. The sheriffs commend the group for its strong position against cultivation for several reasons.
First, advocates for cultivation propose that a few private entities be authorized to grow marijuana for medical purposes. Although we in Georgia have no lawful experience with such operations, it seems acceptable to some that the state should allow this new industry to come here and spend millions to develop operations to produce medical cannabis oil for the 300 or so patients presently allowed to access the product.
For this select few to make a sufficient profit, the number of patients certified to receive cannabis oil must increase significantly. To make this happen, the number of medical conditions that can be treated with the product will be expanded to include many other conditions, such as “chronic pain” and other ailments that may be difficult to diagnose and may require the legal limits of THC in the oil to be increased.
The need for in-state cultivation became even more questionable when the federal government’s prohibition against medical marijuana ended with the recent passage of the 1,603-page spending bill. The legislation included a provision that states where medical pot is legal no longer need to fear federal interference. This new law makes in-state cultivation unnecessary, since patients can access the oil from sources without fear of arrest by federal authorities. This also paves the way for Georgia to allow the retail sale of THC similar to the way other FDA-approved medications are legally dispensed.
Another serious concern is related to cultivation monitoring and the state’s ability to perform the necessary regulatory functions. How will the state keep track of the number of marijuana seeds acquired by growers? The number of plants grown? Or what happens to marijuana leaves, stems and other plant byproducts once the oil is acquired? The cost to Georgia taxpayers will be significant.
The sheriffs of Georgia are seriously concerned with in-state marijuana cultivation for any purpose and are compelled to let our governor and General Assembly know our thoughts on the issue. To us, it seems critically important to now think about this scheme to allow a certain few into the medical cultivation business, apparently to provide oil for a small number of patients.
Let’s hope our state leaders recognize the devastating effects of today’s high-THC-content marijuana on our children, the productivity of our workforce and the overall safety of our citizens. Let’s hope they reject the notion that marijuana cultivation should be allowed in our state.
Steve Wilson is Walker County Sheriff and president of the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association.
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