Patients go another year without medical marijuana legislation
The Georgia Legislature adjourned on March 28, 2013, and once again, no legislator made it a priority to protect medical marijuana patients.
Although the 2013 session has come to an end, you can still contact your legislators today and tell them that Georgia residents deserve to have a serious discussion about compassionate legislation that protects medical marijuana patients. If you are able to start a dialogue with your representative or senator, you may want to share with them MPP's model bill. You can also write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper supporting a medical marijuana law in Georgia.
If you are a medical professional, a patient who might benefit from medical marijuana, or if you know somebody who might benefit from medical marijuana, we would like to hear from you. Additionally, if you are a law enforcement official or a clergy member, please email state@mpp.org to see how you can be of special help. Please include your address or nine-digit ZIP code so we can determine who your legislators are.
ACLU study shows Georgia’s harsh marijuana laws result in racially disproportionate arrest rates
Georgia has some of the most punitive marijuana laws in the country, with possession of a mere two ounces being punishable by up to 10 years in prison. It’s clear these laws have not been successful, and new evidence shows that Georgia’s laws are not being evenly enforced.
A 2013 study by the American Civil Liberties Union found that although blacks and whites use marijuana at nearly identical rates, blacks in Georgia are 3.7 times more likely than whites to be arrested for marijuana possession.
Please take a moment to send a letter to your legislators asking them to reduce the penalty for possession of marijuana to a civil fine or ask them to end marijuana prohibition entirely.
Stay connected
To receive news about Georgia marijuana policy reform as it happens, be sure to subscribe to MPP's free legislative alert service, if you haven't done so already. If you have any questions concerning the status of marijuana reform in Georgia, you can contact MPP at state@mpp.org.
