Last week in the Georgia House of Representatives, most of our time was spent in committee meetings vetting legislation. A subcommittee meeting regarding the transportation bill was held as we considered the pros and cons of possible solutions toward improving our infrastructure, roads and bridges.

The bill that received the most attention, however, is House Bill 1 or Haleigh’s Hope Act. This legislation is widely known as the cannabis oil bill which would change certain provisions relating to the use of marijuana for the treatment of specified medical conditions. As it is written, this bill appears to be appropriately balanced. The wording allows help for those in need yet there is enough regulation included so that the use of cannabis oil cannot be exploited for recreational purposes.

The drive for this legislation has mostly been led by parents who have found relief for their suffering children. Many of these parents have been traveling to states that have legalized cannabis oil to purchase the drug.

The current version of HB 1 would allow for the immediate immunity and protection from prosecution for possession of cannabis oil with less than 3 percent THC, the active agent in cannabis. Additionally, this legislation would not permit the smoking of marijuana and would only allow the use of medical cannabis oil to be taken in oral form.

Furthermore, the use of cannabis oil would be approved specifically for these qualified conditions: cancer, glaucoma, AIDS, ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, seizure disorders, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, mitochondrial disease, Alzheimer’s, muscle spasticity disorder, fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s, terminal illness, autism, Tourettte’s syndrome, post-traumatic stress disorder, and sickle cell anemia. The bill would also give the Department of Public Health the responsibility for patient registration and physician oversight.

A study commission would recommend the best model for an in-state program to include cultivation, production and distribution to begin in 2016. Let me emphasize that the bill would not allow for the legalization of cannabis for recreational purposes and this bill does not call for legalization for any medical purposes outside of the qualified conditions listed above.

This bill will be watched closely by many folks in Georgia. It is safe to say that if the bill moves in the direction of generally legalizing the use of marijuana, and not for specific medicinal purposes only, it more than likely would not pass out of the Georgia General Assembly. As we go back to work next week, I will personally watch the movement of this bill, as it is one of the most complex bills we have faced in a long time.

The legislation that we are currently considering is very controversial, yet important. Please know that I am here to listen to your thoughts and concerns and can be reached at (404) 656-0178 or at bill.hitchens@house.ga.gov. Thank you for allowing me to represent you!