medical marijuana

A House committee will hold a public hearing Monday on a bill to allow the use of medical marijuana in South Carolina. A small group of House members made a few changes in the lengthy bill passed in February by the full Senate on a 28-15 vote. One amendment cleaned up the grammar and a few typos in the bill which senators considered more than 60 changes over seven days of debate. A second change restores some podiatrists with extra training to the list of doctors who can prescribe medical marijuana. There was little discussion of the bill Thursday. Much of that is expected for the meeting Monday morning by the full House Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee.

Bill now moves to the House.

The South Carolina Senate has started a debate on medical marijuana. Sen. Tom Davis has dedicated more than seven years of his legislative career to getting the debate that started Wednesday. The Beaufort Republican's bill says his proposal would be one of the most conservative medical marijuana laws in the country. People using medical marijuana could not smoke it but would have to use oils, salves, patches or vaporizers. Doctors would have to meet patients in person, checking for any history of substance abuse. But there is plenty of opposition from law enforcement, religious groups and fellow Republicans who think the bill would open the door to legalizing recreational marijuana use.

This edition of the South Carolina Lede for April 3, 2021, features: an update on efforts to expand broadband internet access in the state; the latest on proposed medical marijuana legislation; a look at what the state is doing to strengthen our medical supply chains; and more.