The Georgia House on Monday overwhelmingly approved House Bill 722, which expands the list of ailments that qualify for the state's limited medical marijuana program.
By a vote of 152-8, the House sent Rep. Allen Peake's bill to the Senate.
Peake, a Macon Republican, said the bill moves the ball forward but falls short of what he had hoped to accomplish this year. HB 722 originally created a state-sponsored program to grow, cultivate and manufacture medical marijuana in Georgia, but opposition from law enforcement put an end to that.
Instead, it adds several disorders to the list of diseases that qualifies for the state program. But, patients will still have to risk arrest by traveling out of state to obtain the medication.
“It is our job to make a compelling enough argument to each other, to leadership and to the governor, as to why our bill is needed,” Peake said. “Clearly, I didn’t make a strong enough case.”
As a sign, however, have of the strong feelings on the issue, Rep. Randy Nix, R-LaGrange, said he wasn't sure if he was for or against the bill, but said it worried him.
“This is most conflicted vote I’ve faced in 10 years,” Nix said. “My heart says vote ‘Yes.’ My head and gut say we’re going down the wrong road.”
Nix said Peake assured him last year that “this would be so narrowly drawn it would only be for children with seizures. This piece of legislation has at least 15 different things than children with seizures.”
Nix ultimately voted in favor of the bill.
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