ATLANTA — A Georgia state representative has renewed her fight to expand Georgia's medical marijuana law after her own breast cancer diagnosis.
Channel 2's Lori Geary landed an exclusive interview with state Rep. Dee Dawkins-Haigler, D-Lithonia, who says she's determined now, more than ever, to help similar patients.
"For me, it's very personal. I'm living it day by day," Dawkins-Haigler told Geary.
She invited Geary along during one of her treatments for breast cancer.
Special Section: Medical Marijuana in Georgia
After two surgeries, she's now undergoing radiation treatments five times a week and talking publicly for the first time about her personal journey and now what has turned into her personal fight.
"For me, I would rather have medical cannabis than to have Percocet or the oxycodone," Dawkins-Haigler said.
She told Geary she speaks from experience.
Dawkins-Haigler traveled to Colorado, California and Washington, where full medical marijuana is legal.
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“I tried some of the products. It did help alleviate the pain and the nausea…that was great for me because I don’t want to be addicted to prescription pills,” Dawkins-Haigler said.
This past legislative session, Georgia passed its first medical marijuana law, allowing patients diagnosed with one of eight conditions to possess cannabis oil. Cancer is one of them.
Most patients must travel out of state to access the cannabis oil, especially those who require a higher level of THC, the part of the plant that gets you high.
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Georgia limits the THC in cannabis oil to 5 percent.
"I could use the stuff there and in California, Washington state, but I had to leave it all there because if I brought it back with me on the plane, that would be trafficking and I would be arrested and the last thing I need is you doing another story and not this story," Dawkins-Haigler told Geary.
As chairwoman of the Legislative Black Caucus, Dawkins-Haigler was instrumental in getting sickle-cell anemia added to Georgia's medical marijuana law.