By TJ Baker | The Daily Chronic
ATLANTA, GA As hearings continue in Macon on the limited medicinal use of the cannabis plant, advocates for medical marijuana question current the push for cannabidiol (CBD) oil only legislation.
The advocacy group Georgia C.A.R.E. said whole plant therapeutics is the key to a success program that can potentially help many medical conditions not just a few children with epilepsy.
James Bell, director of Georgia C.A.R.E., said the state should be considering whole plant medicine that can help the most patients as soon as possible.
The cannabis plant contains many compounds that have proven to be effective in treating a variety of conditions, Bell said. We should not be determining who can and cannot benefit from this healing plant.
Bell said he is concerned that special interest lobbyists are attempting to influence the governor and the legislature to limit cannabis therapy to CBD extract only a product drug companies hope to profit from.
Bell points out that whole-plant cannabis is legal in 23 states for such medical condition as cancer, glaucoma, PTSD, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, pain management, and more.
Today the study committee will hear from adult patients with various medical conditions. We hope their testimony will convince lawmakers that we need to legalize the whole plant and allow doctors to treat patients who can benefit. Introducing a limited bill such as House Bill 885 will do little to get the medicine needed by so many, Bell added.
Bell says he is also concerned that regardless of what type of legislation is introduced in 2015, some conservative lawmakers may attempt to kill the legislation as was done in 2014.