Ga. Lawmaker Runs Underground Cannabis Network

(28 Apr 2017) VOICEOVER SCRIPT:
GEORGIA'S MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROGRAM COMES WITH A BIG CAVEAT.
State Rep. Allen Peake, (R) Georgia:
"Yes, while we have a law that allows you to legally possess it, we don't have a law that gives you the ability to be able to access it."
FRUSTRATED BY THE LIMITATIONS, REPUBLICAN LAWMAKER ALLEN PEAKE — WHO CHAMPIONED THE STATE'S LEGALIZATION OF MEDICAL CANNIBAS IN 2015 — TOOK MATTERS INTO HIS OWN HANDS.
SOUNDBITE State Rep. Allen Peake, (R) Georgia:
"We now have, for all practical purposes, a distribution network, where we will funnel this product to families who are properly registered with the state and have the legal right to possess up to 20 ounces."
THE COST TO PATIENTS?
ZERO.
PEAKE FOOTS THE BILL AT A PRICE TAG OF ABOUT $100,000 PER YEAR, ALLOWING HIM TO STAY JUST INSIDE THE LAW SINCE IT'S ILLEGAL TO SELL OR BUY CANNABIS OIL IN THE STATE.
SOUNDBITE State Rep. Allen Peake, (R) Georgia:
"Quite frankly, I don't know how the product gets here."
TO AVOID FELONY DRUG TRAFFICKING CHARGES HE DOESN'T KNOW ANY OF THE SHIPPING DETAILS.
A PACKAGE SHOWS UP ABOUT ONCE A MONTH AT HIS OFFICE WHERE HE RUNS ONE OF THE LARGEST FRANCHISE RESTAURANT BUSINESSES IN THE COUNTRY.
PEAKE THEN WORKS WITH A NETWORK OF REGISTERED CARD-HOLDING PATIENTS AND PARENTS TO MOVE THE PRODUCT TO VARIOUS CITIES ACROSS GEORGIA.
SOUNDBITE Shannon Cloud, Georgia Resident:
"It may mean meeting at a gas station on 285 or coming to somebody's workplace or at home. You do what you have to do to meet up with somebody to get them the medicine that they need."
SHANNON CLOUD'S DAUGHTER ALAINA IS ONE OF THE PATIENTS HELPED BY PEAKE.
SOUNDBITE Shannon Cloud, Georgia Resident:
"She's 11-years-old and she has Dravet syndrome and she has seizures which started when she was 4 months old. And after trying many medications, we heard about cannabis and decided that we wanted to give it a shot and see if it might help her."
CLOUD AND HER HUSBAND WORK WITH PEAKE TO HELP DELIVER THE CANNABIS OIL IN ATLANTA.
THEY'RE GRATEFUL FOR HIS GENEROSITY BUT ANGRY THAT FAMILIES ARE FORCED TO GO TO GREAT LENGTHS TO HELP LOVED ONES.
SOUNDBITE Shannon Cloud, Georgia Resident:
"It shouldn't be this way. You shouldn't be meeting at a gas station or a Target parking lot to get medicine to somebody. You should be going to the place where it is produced and tested to get it dispensed to you in a regulated manner."
IT'S A BATTLE PEAK CONTINUES TO FIGHT.
SOUNDBITE State Rep. Allen Peake, (R) Georgia:
"All we want to do is to provide medicine to a family who can benefit from it and see the quality of their life changed every single day."
HE IS AN UNLIKELY MEDICAL MARIJUANA CRUSADER.
NEXT UP, HE WANTS TO MAKE IT LEGAL TO GROW AND PROCESS CANNABIS OIL IN GEORGIA.
EZRA KAPLAN, ASSOCIATED PRESS.

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