Medical marijuana bill passes House

The Georgia House on Monday gave overwhelming approval to a bill that would legalize a type of medical marijuana to treat certain seizure disorders.

Rep. Allen Peake, R-Macon, the sponsor of House Bill 885, said it's an important step toward saving the lives of children who can suffer 100 or more seizures a day. The particular strain of marijuana, known as Charlotte's Web, has shown it can ease or eliminate symptoms of patients taking the cannabis oil derived from the plant.

In Colorado, where marijuana is legal, there is a waiting list of 2,000 patients who want access to the oil, which does not cause the taker to get high.

While there are obstacles and some warn him he is moving too fast, Peake answered: “We cannot move fast enough.”

The bill gained bipartisan support. Rep. Nikki Randall, D-Macon, said the bill is "a chance worth taking."

“If we can offer the slightest rise, the slightest improvement in the quality of life for these children, these families, I think we’re doing the right thing,” she said.

The bill passed 171-4 and now goes to the Senate.

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