A bill to legalize medical cannabis is headed to the South Carolina House floor after receiving committee approval April 7.
The House Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee, known as the 3M Committee, made minor changes to S. 150, the SC Compassionate Care Act, before advancing it in a 16-3 vote, according to The Herald Sun.
The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Tom Davis, R-Beaufort County, would allow patients with one of 12 qualifying conditions to access a two-week supply of medical cannabis in the form of oils, vaporizers, salves, topicals and patches with a recommendation from their doctor.
The South Carolina Senate passed the bill in early February after three weeks of debate, advancing it to the 3M committee, which has since held a hearing and heard hours of public testimony on the legislation.
The 3M Committee’s approval Thursday marks the farthest a medical cannabis legalization proposal has come during the eight years supporters have been pushing for policy reform, The Herald Sun reported.
The minor changes 3M Committee members made to the bill Thursday include added criminal background checks for medical cannabis distributors and security plans for their businesses, according to the news outlet, and the exact cannabis cultivar and the ingredients that make up the oil, salve or other product would have to be disclosed to patients.
The bill’s chances on the House floor are uncertain, according to The Herald Sun, although it does have bipartisan support.
