Marijuana a legislative issue this year

By Todd C. Elliott
todd.elliot@eunicetoday.com

Where’s there’s smoke, there may be a spark of contention in the 2014 Louisiana legislative session as lawmakers will discuss the possibility of legalizing marijuana for personal medicinal and recreational use.
Some observers say Louisiana could follow the course of states like Colorado and Washington which have decriminalized the herbal sedative.
District 41 State Rep. Mickey Guillory of Eunice said that being on the Criminal Justice Committee he heard an informal presentation at a recent meeting from the head of the District Attorney’s Association of Louisiana – who is adamantly against it.
“He gave all of his reasons, he gave all of his points as to why he wasn’t for it,” said Guillory. “Right now, I’m kind of open-minded. I hear some good things, because some people have spoken in favor of it.”
Guillory said that with such high-profile, proposed legislation he will get many phone calls for and against.
“I always go with my people and what they want,” said Guillory. “Especially if it’s real lopsided, I go with my people in my district. Instead of what I want necessarily, I represent the people and not just myself. So, people need to call and send emails. And I get emails from all over the state, but I pay attention to what the people of my district are requesting.”
The phone number is 457-0194. The email address is larep041@legis.la.gov.
Guillory, a former state policeman, said that he is familiar with medicinal marijuana being used to treat cancer patients suffering from pain. He said, however, that he has never used marijuana or “any other types of drugs except prescription drugs.”
He said that states like California, Washington and Colorado utilized a lot of researched information before lawmakers in those states made their decision. He expects more research and information will be headed to Louisiana soon in advance of the upcoming legislative session, which convenes on March 10.
Guillory said that the debate over the legalization of marijuana will be reminiscent of what he called another “high-profile piece of legislation” from the last 10 years: the outlawing of cockfighting.
“I sat with some committees over the years and probably the worst piece of high-profile legislation that we ever had was over cockfighting,” said Guillory. “Cockfighting drew more people and an intense atmosphere at the capital. The room was packed with people, and they were in the hallway, for the cockfighting bill. And we finally outlawed it.”
Guillory said that while one New Orleans representative, Austin Badon, will sponsor a bill to lessen the penalties of the charge of possession of marijuana, he said that he expected other marijuana bills will be filed for the 2014 session.