Atlanta Georgia: The number of Georgians supporting marijuana law reform is growing according to a recent poll conducted by Landmark/RosettaStone. The poll asked “Do you support or oppose Georgia loosening its laws governing the possession and consumption of marijuana? Thirty three percent (33%) said “YES” with nearly ten percent (9.6%) expressing “NO OPINION”.
These numbers are encouraging according to James Bell, director of Georgia CARE (Campaign for Access, Reform & Education) a marijuana law reform advocacy group.
Georgia CARE launched a public awareness campaign in 2012 to educate citizens, media and lawmakers as to why Georgia should investigate reforming its antiquated and detrimental marijuana laws that can land a person in state prison for up to ten (10) years for mere possession of more than one ounce (28 grams) of marijuana. The campaign has prompted numerous online and newspaper polls and public debate.
Bell cautioned that “Liberty and justice should never be determined by an opinion poll. We must look at these laws and determine what we have actually accomplished by arresting, prosecuting and spending tax dollars to go after otherwise law abiding citizens,” Bell said. Nearly 40,000 marijuana arrests occur each year in Georgia.
Bell also cautioned that this one-question poll may not indicate the actual views of the public, especially with the issue of medical marijuana. He said various polls have indicated the public supports medical marijuana and cited a little known fact that the Georgia legislature unanimous passed a medical marijuana research act in 1980 that acknowledged medical benefits from the plant. Eighteen states (18) and the District of Columbia have passed medical marijuana bills and two (2) states, Colorado and Washington, have decriminalized “recreational use”.
“The best way to determine support for marijuana reform is to ask your friends, neighbors and associates their opinions,” according to Bell. Georgia CARE receives numerous emails and phone calls everyday from people in all walks of life encouraging their efforts to change Georgia’s laws.
Georgia CARE’s position is that marijuana should be regulated like alcohol and tobacco and points to the 18th Amendment (alcohol prohibition) as an “ugly scar on our Constitution” that seemed popular at the time until women, clergy and doctors took to the streets and began to educate the public of the negative impact prohibition had on society. Opinions changed and the amendment was repealed.
“Georgia lawmakers are currently engaged in reforming Georgia’s criminal justice system and marijuana law reform should be part of this discussion”, said Bell. “This indicates a shift in attitudes among Georgia’s lawmakers. “
Georgia CARE applauds Gov. Deal and the General Assembly’s efforts to study law reform and CARE is seeking legislative support for study committees to look into how Georgia can responsibly reform these laws.
For more information visit www.gacareproject.com
I spent 5 years in Federal Prison for a marijuana offense. The memorable day that I met with the parole panel, I asked, "When pot becomes legal, what will my 5 years spent in prison have meant?" Their response, "That is a very philosophical question. We don't deal with philosophy in this office." Case closed...go back to your cell. When the 5 years were gone, I walked out and never looked back. But, I know to this day, there are thousands of Americans still rotting in jail over a plant. I wrote about the escapades that led to my imprisonment...my book: Shoulda Robbed a Bank I would be honored by your review.
So is your article...make it happen in the Great State of Georgia... Here's an excerpt from the book... The closest I have ever seen marijuana come to harming anyone was during an air drop. We brought in 1100 pounds from Jamaica and dropped it in a peanut field in middle Georgia. The bales were dropped from a small plane at 125 feet altitude. One of the bales, about 80 pounds, missed my compadre by only a few feet... but it surely messed up his truck. You can read about it in: Shoulda Robbed a Bank.
If he didn't there's another example of harm... It isn't fun getting the call that someone's been where they shouldn't have, after the fact.
Yes, Sir, seriously.
I have not said that it's OK for me to break this law wiithout consequences. At least as the laws currently stand. That is why prohibition needs to end. I am not here to regulate other people's lives...nor do I need other people trying to regulate my time here on earth...so long as I bring no harm to my fellow man or his property With all of the rhetoric surrounding the marijuana debate, the concept most overlooked: Freedom of the individual. “…over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign”.” — from the essay On Liberty by John Stuart Mill What happened to, "This is a FREE country"? That is what we have been telling the rest of the world for decades. Please, let us live up to it. Lead by example. It was Thomas Jefferson who said: "If a law is unjust, a man is not only right to disobey it, he is obligated to do so."
No, I never trampled a man's crops without paying him, or, without his consent. It may surprise you how some farmers subsidize their income. The best part, they are harming no one nor their property. They are living as free Americans. I hope I have answered your question.
I also know how many fellow free spirit operators find no fault in the use of illegal labor, doesn’t mean I concur or find it harmless.
Me, too, Amy...me, too. How can a plant be made illegal? What lunatic came up with that idea? A million thanks for your comment...please, continue spreading 'the word'....
According to the CDC, alcohol kills 80,000 people every year in the U.S. while marijuana kills none, and marijuana's addiction potential is only about that of coffee. Since marijuana is significantly milder, safer and less addictive than alcohol, we could prevent a lot of the harm that alcohol causes by letting people choose marijuana instead of alcohol. We need to put the safety of our children FIRST and legalize marijuana like beer and wine.
I've read how cannibus could really help, but my doctor will not prescribe the drug and I won't break the law. I hope to join the fight to pass favorable laws, I need the benefits of marijuana to cope with the nerve burning all through my body. Won't you all help get this law passed? Now's the time, The benefits for Georgians is it will increase the taxes and revenue for our state. People, like me, would be helped so much, in my case pain, my sister with sickness from cancer drugs and others with the medical needs.
"I am a disabled Army Veteran and smoke marijuana strictly for medical purposes. I never smoked before I broke my back in the military and it hasen't been a gateway to anything. I started smoking because of my cauda equina syndrome. I had a herniated disk in my lower back that compressed the nerves at the lower end of my spine (cauda equina nerves). The doctors couldn't prevent permanent damage, so I am left with permanent pain that is so severe that it leads to vomiting on a consistant basis without my medacine (marijuana). The doctors prescribed me morphine, oxycodone, oxymorphone, oxycotton, hydromorphone, hydrocodone, etc... All of the above named meda... cines made me useless, I hardly knew what was happening around me. On top of that, they didnt help with the pain or the vomiting from the pain. I felt like bugs were crawling under my skin. After complaining about this for a while, friends and family handed me cannabis. I was reluctant at first, due to the stigma that goes along with it. After I gave it a try, I realized that it was far and away a better solution than any of the above named DRUGS. I had none of the issues with cannabis that I had with all those other PHARMACEUTICAL DRUGS. I can function and carry on with my life. Marijuana has made me a better person and a far more functional parent and husband."