Atlanta — Medicinal marijuana is now legal in Georgia, but state Rep. Allen Peake is upset over the hurdles that ailing patients have to go through in order for them to avail themselves of medicinal cannabis.

The medical cannabis registry in the state officially opened Tuesday, and Peake, who created it, is upset that federal prohibition had made it necessary for the state to even have one in the first place.

In Georgia, the federal law prohibits the possession of marijuana and everything that’s made from it, and carrying of which across the state borders is actually considered smuggling.

Opponents of legalizing marijuana for medical purposes have long argued that such laws will encourage more youngsters to partake. But that notion may have no factual grounding, according to a new study that shows cannabis use among teenagers didn’t increase in states that legalized medical marijuana.

Medical marijuana cards will now be available to those suffering from debilitating diseases in Georgia.

Georgia mother Corey Lowe has been waiting for the day medical marijuana would be legal.

Her 13-year-old daughter, Victoria Lowe, suffers from epileptic seizures and the family learned the seizures would stop when she tried cannabis oil in Colorado.

“It worked remarkably,” Corey Lowe said.

The new medical marijuana law allows families like the Lowes to possess up to 20 liquid ounces of low grade THC cannabis oil.

But first you have to qualify. The Georgia Department of Public Health said in order to get the oil people have to live in Georgia for at least a year and an application would have to be submitted by a doctor.

By Lori Geary

ATLANTA — Gov. Nathan Deal told Channel 2’s Lori Geary, “Tomorrow is going to be a good day,” in an exclusive interview about the launch of Georgia’s medical marijuana cards. 

A state commission on medical marijuana will soon hold its first meeting in Atlanta.

The Commission on Medical Cannabis was created by a law passed this year permitting people with certain medical conditions to legally possess cannabis oil in-state with their doctors' approval. It meets June 16 at the state Capitol.

The commission includes Republican state Rep. Allen Peake of Macon.

Some still want laws permitting the federally prohibited plant's growth in Georgia. They say the recent legislation in Georgia doesn't protect people while transporting the oil from other states where it can be produced and sold.

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Investigators told Channel 2’s Mike Petchenik exclusively that they received a tip from the Missouri Highway Patrol that Wesley Johnson, 38, was moving large quantities of marijuana from his Johnson Ferry Road home.

“Prior to them arriving to the front door they could actually smell the marijuana emitting from the location,” said Sgt. Ron Momon. “They knocked on the door, met the individual. He identified himself. They asked him for consent to search the place and he denied the consent to search.”

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True to their word, a group of young advocates for local liberalization of marijuana possession laws rolled into City Hall for Tuesday’s meeting of the Athens-Clarke County Commission, once again arguing for a “parallel ordinance” allowing police officers the discretion to determine whether someone found in possession of marijuana should simply be cited and fined, or arrested and taken to jail.

“We’re not going to give up,” one of the young people told commissioners Tuesday. Since March, the group, affiliated with the Athens Campaign for Access, Reform and Education — part of Georgia C.A.R.E., a group working to “end marijuana prohibition in Georgia” — has been a regular presence at the commission’s monthly voting meeting.

Spinal cord injuries can result in some of the most damaging and unbearable side effects possible. Injuries in this area of the body often result in a change, either temporary or permanent to normal motor or sensory function.

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CANTON, Ga. --Two months ago, Georgia passed a controversial and life-changing law for some families in need of medical marijuana.

Corey Lowe's daughter Victoria was one of the first people in the state to receive a temporary permit to use it. Victoria suffers from mitochondrial disease and an incredible number of seizures, but Lowe said cannabis oil helps.

"She would have 50 a day, 50 to 100 a day, before cannabis oil -- gut wrenching," said Corey Lowe.

Lowe said she tried everything -- dozens of drugs, any kind of medicine she could get her hands on -- but it didn't work.

"They couldn't get her seizures to stop," said Lowe.

Gov. Nathan Deal has named a group of lawmakers, health care professionals and law enforcement officials to the new Georgia Commission on Medical Cannabis.

The panel, to be led by Rep. Allen Peake, R-Macon, will make recommendations for a system of creating an in-state growth and distribution system to provide the drug.