State of Georgia Archives: on Drugs
Jon Ossoff:
Locking up nonviolent drug offenders doesn't make sense
Violent crime, murder, rape, human trafficking, and corruption are rampant, while we spend billions locking up nonviolent drug offenders.
It just doesn't make sense. Jon will work to reduce mass incarceration of nonviolent offenders, which punishes taxpayers and wastes American lives.
Source: 2017 Georgia House campaign website, ElectJon.com
Apr 21, 2017
Stacey Abrams:
Expand list of conditions for medical marijuana
HB 65: Expands the list of conditions for which a patient may register with the Low THC Oil Patient Registry. HB 65 expands the list to include
Tourette's syndrome, autism, intractable pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, Alzheimer's disease, human immunodeficiency virus, and acquired immune deficiency syndrome. MY VOTE: YES
Source: 2018 Georgia governor campaign website StaceyAbrams.com
Mar 30, 2017
Stacey Abrams:
Add fentanyl to list of criminalized opioids
HB 213: Updates the Georgia Code to include the drug fentanyl alongside morphine, opium, and heroin. Individuals convicted of felony drug trafficking of
fentanyl would be subjected to the same punishments as trafficking those other drugs. MY VOTE: YES
Source: 2018 Georgia governor campaign website StaceyAbrams.com
Mar 30, 2017
Johnny Isakson:
Legalize medical marijuana and cannabis oil
A group of senators introduced a medical marijuana bill that seeks to do what Georgia's did to legalize epilepsy treatments with hemp oil at the federal level. It's different from a recent House version because it allows the FDA more leeway to regulate
the cannabidiol products, thus earning the support of Sen. Johnny Isakson, who said:"This legislation will ensure that families of children suffering from seizures have access to treatments that can provide them with a better quality of life.
The legislation also removes federal barriers for Georgia families who want to bring the cannabis oil back to Georgia in order to administer medical treatment in the comfort of their own home. I've always been a supporter of research and innovation as a
leading driver in finding new and improved treatment options for those affected by diseases and disorders."
Even though Georgia has legalized possession of the drug, it remains illegal to carry it across state lines.
Source: Atlanta Journal Constitution on 2016 Georgia Senate race
May 14, 2015
Amanda Swafford:
Replace War on Drugs with individual freedom
The primary responsibility of government is to protect our individual rights. That duty requires preservation of those rights which may include aspects of another person's beliefs that we don't personally agree with. However, as long as an individual's
choices or actions do not infringe on another person's liberties, we should not use government to force that individual to conform to our personal beliefs. On a federal level, individual freedom is an important foundation for issues like the War on Drugs
Source: 2014 Georgia Senate campaign website, AmandaSwafford.net
Sep 30, 2014
Andrew Hunt:
Fines instead of imprisonment for non-violent drug offenses
Victimless, non-violent offenders should not be ripped away from their families and jobs by making them serve time. This only increases their potential recidivism rate. Instead of incarceration, the state can charge fines, similar to most traffic
violations. I will move in this direction as much as possible. I hope to show a majority of people that that a shift toward greater Liberty can be great for society. I will support changes to the War on Drugs to reduce the impact that drugs have on
our society. Much of these impacts are crime related, a direct cause of these drugs being illegal. I would like to have a net savings in our budget by funding drug rehabilitation programs instead of jail time, and
will work to get such changes passed into law and implemented. By improving education and employment in Georgia, we will see a decrease in crime.
Source: 2014 Georgia gubernatorial campaign website, AndrewHunt.us
Aug 31, 2014
David Perdue:
Receptive to medical marijuana, but leave it to states
The Washington Post reported that the Obama administration Friday gave the banking industry approval to do business with legal marijuana sellers. Perdue was asked what he thought about this."I'm not a doctor, but the only use of marijuana that
I would support today would be the medical use of it," he said. "The two doctors in this race have both said that that would be acceptable to them. I've talked to other physicians that think it's a valuable tool to use. I'm basing this on medical
thought that that is a tool to use against some treatments for cancer and so forth, and if that can be used medicinally, I would be OK with that."
Loosening restrictions on the use of medical marijuana in Georgia is a decision for the state
Legislature, he said. "But as a senator, I'm telling you that I'm going to support the law of the land in the state of Georgia, that's first of all, second of all, that the medicinal use of it is something that I would be receptive to," he said.
Source: Marietta Daily Journal on 2014 Georgia Senate race
Feb 16, 2014
Nathan Deal:
BUI: Boating Under the Influence: if blood alcohol over .10%
This past summer, Georgia witnessed several tragic accidents on our waterways. We know alcohol is involved in over 50 percent of all boating fatalities each year. On Georgia's roads, if the operator of a vehicle has a
Blood Alcohol content of .08 or higher, he can be charged with Driving Under the Influence. However, you cannot be charged with Boating Under the Influence unless your Blood Alcohol level is .10 or higher.
The Jake and Griffin Prince BUI Law that I am proposing will change that. If you are too drunk to drive an automobile, you are too drunk to drive a boat!I will also propose, through the Kile Glover Boat Education Law,
that you place age limits and educational requirements on young operators of boats and personal watercraft and that children who are 13 or younger must wear life jackets when riding in an open boat that is moving.
Source: 2013 State of the State address to Georgia Legislature
Jan 17, 2013
Vernon Jones:
Mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs
Jones supports the following principles regarding Drugs:- Support programs to provide prison inmates with drug and alcohol addiction treatment.
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Support mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs.
- Support strict penalties for internet crime (e.g. hacking, identity theft, worms/viruses).
Source: Georgia Congressional Election 2008 Political Courage Test
Jul 2, 2008
Zell Miller:
Allow people harmed by drugs to sue drug dealers
Illegal drugs continue to be a significant problem for many families. I’m going to ask you to pass a drug dealer liability law. I want Georgians who are harmed by illegal drugs to be able to sue drug dealers.
I believe they ought to be able to sue drug dealers to recover their costs. This could be a start to shifting the huge cost of the damage caused by illegal drugs back to the dealers.
Source: 1997 Georgia State of the State Address
Jan 14, 1997
Page last updated: Feb 13, 2018