North Carolina House Republicans Kill Medical Cannabis Legislation

A medical cannabis legalization bill that gained traction in the North Carolina Senate this year is likely dead for the year after House Republicans voted against advancing it in that chamber.

In a closed-door meeting June 22, lawmakers internally voted to kill the bill, according to an Axios report.

Sen. Bill Rabon, R-Brunswick County, initially introduced Senate Bill 711, the Compassionate Care Act, in April 2021. The proposal would allow North Carolina to license 10 businesses to grow and process medical cannabis, as well as 80 dispensaries to sell it to qualifying patients with a short list of medical conditions, including cancer, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

S.B. 711 cleared several Senate committees last year before lawmakers ultimately postponed a full floor vote until 2022.

RELATED: North Carolina Medical Cannabis Legalization Bill Expected to Resurface Next Year

The Senate gave final approval on the legislation June 6, sending it to the House for consideration.

House Republicans’ decision not to advance the bill was somewhat expected, Axios reported; House leaders have indicated on multiple occasions that the chamber has little interest in tackling medical cannabis legalization before the legislative session ends in the coming weeks, according to the news outlet.

The session is still active, however, and with the Republican-controlled House and Senate continuing their work on budget negotiations, bills that appear dead may ultimately be revived before the Legislature adjourns for the year, Axios reported.