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Georgia parents furious over marijuana ruling

Georgia parents fighting to get their children potentially life changing medicine are furious over a federal government's decision on marijuana.

Georgia parents fighting to get their children potentially life changing medicine are furious over a federal government’s decision on marijuana.

The DEA made a decision Thursday denying two petitions calling for the rescheduling of marijuana.

The DEA said marijuana has no medical use and it should continue to be in the same category as heroin.

Thursday 11Alive News spoke to the legislator in Georgia who has been fighting for medical marijuana, and parents who are giving it to their children.

They said the federal government flat out got it wrong, marijuana is medicine.

Jennifer Conforti, Fayetteville, challenges anyone who doesn’t think marijuana is medicine to look at her little girl in videos screaming, kicking, having to be held down, biting herself, and compare her to the little girl who can now laugh and joke about her former fits of rage.

You can’t legally use medical marijuana to treat autism in Georgia, but for two years Conforti has been giving it to her daughter Abby.

“Ravenous, she couldn’t not bite herself, and she bit herself bloody and bruised,” said Jennifer Conforti, parent.

When she realized a grocery bag full of prescription medications wasn’t working and the marijuana was she decided to switch.

“It is medicine, and it works, it works for a lot of people I know personally, it works for people all over the country, it works for people all over the world, and it has for thousands of years.”

Thursday the federal government disagreed.

It was a decision by the DEA that surprised Macon Representative Allen Peake.

He is the legislator who has been fighting for medical marijuana in Georgia.

“Clearly this crystalizes this is a state’s rights issue, we cannot wait on an inept federal government to make good conscious decisions for its citizens,” said Rep. Allen Peake (R) Macon.

But 11Alive News uncovered emails earlier this year that showed Georgia Governor Nathan Deal wasn’t budging on this issue as long as marijuana was a Schedule I drug.

For now the Conforti’s and many others will continue to give their children cannabis, despite the fact it may be illegal in some cases.

“Now we can function, now Abby is progressing.”

The DEA’s report basically said there’s no scientific evidence that marijuana is safe and effective in treating a specific disorder.

Basically it said the risks do not outweigh the benefits.

Medical marijuana is legal for some patients in Georgia to use.

There is an approved list of ailments and illnesses on that list.

Patients must have an approved Georgia medical marijuana registration card to use cannabis oil.

Patients cannot buy or grow marijuana in Georgia.

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