The state of South Carolina has moved one step closer to legalizing the use of cannabis for medical purposes.
One year ago, South Carolina Senator Tom Davis introduced the S.C. Compassionate Care Act, a piece of legalization that would allow patients to access cannabis from licensed dispensaries with the recommendation of a doctor. The act cleared the South Carolina Senate, but fell short in the South Carolina House of Representatives due to issues with tax-related language.
Last month, Davis refiled the act with updated language in hopes of avoiding the issues he faced in 2022. This month, the S.C. Compassionate Care Act made its way through the Senate Medical Affairs Committee thanks to a 9-8 vote. Now, the act will make its way to the South Carolina House of Representatives.
“Earlier today, the Compassionate Care Act was polled out of the Medical Affairs Committee and put on the SC Senate’s calendar for consideration. This bill would empower physicians by allowing them to authorize [the] medicinal use of cannabis by patients. 37 states already allow this,” Davis tweeted.
If approved by state legislators, patients with “debilitating medical conditions” may receive a doctor’s recommendation to legally use cannabis. “Debilitating medical conditions” include, but are not limited to PTSD, cancer, Crohn’s disease, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. To oversee the state’s medical cannabis market, a medical advisory board would be formed and tasked with establishing the parameters for the program. As written in the act, state lawmakers would be responsible for appointing members of the board. Additionally, the act prohibits lawmakers and their immediate family members from working at or having a major stake in cannabis-related entities.
