ATLANTA — A Metro Atlanta lawmaker wants to put at least the conversation, if not the reality, of legalized marijuana in Georgia on the table.
Democratic state Sen. Curt Thompson introduced two bills - one allows for the sale of full plant medical marijuana for people with certain illnesses. The second would allow regulated retail stores to sell marijuana to adults. Thompson would tax the drug and earmark the money for education and transportation projects.
"You could conceivably be raising $160 million a year," Thompson told Channel 2's Tony Thomas.
Thompson says he realizes the plans might face an uphill battle in the legislature, but he sees the bills as a conversation starter.
SPECIAL SECTION: Medical marijuana debate in Georgia
"How long of a conversation are we talking about?" Thomas asked.
"Until something passes, as long as it takes," Thompson replied.
Thompson's bills would be much more extensive than the plan defeated in the last legislative session that would have allowed the use of cannabis oil for medical reasons.
Families with children who suffer seizures pushed hard for the bill.
"We are the 10th-largest state and we ought to have a voice and be talking about this and we ought to be getting folks involved," Thompson said.
One of the many groups expected to oppose any effort to legalize marijuana is the Prosecutors Association of Georgia. Gwinnett County District Attorney Danny Porter serves as its chair.
"The marijuana oil is sort of the knife tip into an eventual pass toward legalization or decriminalization of marijuana," said Danny Porter.
Porter said his group will vote next week at its annual winter convention on its official stance, but Porter says other states that have already legalized pot are seeing negative impacts.
Thomas asked Thompson: "Do you think this has any chance of passing?"
"You know, I think this is a start of a discussion," Thompson replied.