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South Carolina Medical Marijuana

Medical Marijuana Program Unlikely To Become Law In South Carolina

A medical cannabis program in South Carolina likely won’t become law this year despite polling favorably amongst South Carolina voters. The bill, SB 366, has been introduced by Senator Tom Davis, R-Beaufort, for a few years running now, and despite gaining some media attention this year, did not have the gas to make it to the Senate floor for full debate.

As in previous years, the law enforcement and medical communities stood as the bills most staunch opponents. Mark Keel, SLED Chief, has long stood against any medical cannabis program not endorsed by the federal government and regulated by the FDA. A firm believer that a medical cannabis program will open doors to recreational drug abuse in the Palmetto State, Keel also has Governor McMaster’s ear – who has promised he will veto any legislation that does make it through the Legislature. McMaster’s promise to veto means the bill will have to achieve a two-thirds favorable vote in order to become law in South Carolina.

Advocates of a medical cannabis program in South Carolina are growing increasingly frustrated as neighboring, conservative-leaning states like Florida and Georgia pass their own versions of medical cannabis programs in 2019. As many as 33 other states in the U.S. have legalized some form of medical cannabis for certain disabilities and conditions.

Despite the bill failing to receive a vote on the floor of the Senate this year, legislators, issue advocacy groups and the public are starting to pay more and more attention to the issue – a promising sign for those hopeful to see the bill discussed by state lawmakers. For example, the Marijuana Policy Project was active in the Palmetto State for the first time this year, hiring two lobbyists to help advance the cause with state lawmakers. Other local advocacy groups, like SC Compassionate Care, and the South Carolina Cannabis Association were active this year, but probably didn’t do enough to engage the favorably-polling public on the issue.

It remains to be seen if a grassroots campaign will be the focus in 2020.

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South Carolina Medical Marijuana

SC Lawmakers Meet To Discuss New Medical Marijuana Legislation

As of late, medical marijuana has been a hot topic in the state of South Carolina. And yesterday, the South Carolina Senate Medical Affairs subcommittee met for the first time to discuss new legislation.

They met to review a new bill introduced by Senator Tom Davis, who is also the chairman of the subcommittee, which would make cannabis legal for people with terminal, debilitating medical conditions that could be treated with opiods. The new bill would allow patients to purchase two ounces of marijuana every two weeks if prescribed by a doctor.

This meeting was the first obstacle it has to overcome as it tries to make its way to the Senate floor.

As reported by The Post and Courier, lawmakers reviewed the legislation and have decided to hold the bill in committee while they wait to hear testimony from others. Lawmakers hope to hear from supporters of the bill, the medical community, and law enforcement officials who are hesitant of the bill.

Davis plans to implement suggestions made by stakeholders to the bill before moving forward. One of those suggestions is that smoking cannabis would not be covered under the bill. He also urged others on the subcommittee to investigate other medical conditions which might be covered and include a sales tax.

To read more about the meeting and what law enforcement officials have to say, visit The Post and Courier.

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Majority Support Medical Marijuana In SC, New Poll Finds

Expanding access to medical marijuana is supported by a majority of South Carolinians according to a statewide poll that was recently released from the South Carolina Cannabis Association.

The poll conducted by Washington, DC-based WPA Intelligence in partnership with Charleston’s Push Digital shows 58% of South Carolinians support expanding access to medical marijuana in the state while only 13% oppose.

The South Carolina Cannabis Association also announced their advocacy efforts to support changing the state’s cannabis laws.

According to their press release, South Carolina political consultant and entrepreneur Wesley Donehue played a key role in organizing the critical mass of support that led to the formation of the South Carolina Cannabis Association.

“The compassionate care benefits of cannabis are well documented and the public support for access to medical cannabis in our state is strong. These are facts our elected officials must come to recognize and respond accordingly, as there is no longer any excuse for them to be this out-of-touch with the will of their constituents,” said Donehue.

The independent survey of 600 registered voters in South Carolina from January 22-24 found that:

Most South Carolina voters are in favor of medical cannabis

  • Six out of ten South Carolina voters (58%) support legislation that expands access to medical cannabis
  • This includes a majority or plurality support across all partisan breaks – Majority of Independents (72%), Democrats (65%) and a plurality of Republicans (45%)
    In contrast, just thirteen percent (13%) are opposed while three out of ten (29%) are unsure

South Carolinians are more likely to vote for Elected Officials who support medical cannabis legislation

  • A majority of South Carolinians (57%) are more likely to vote for an elected official who supports legislation for medical cannabis
  • This too includes a majority or plurality support across all partisan breaks – majority of Independents (70%), Democrats (62%) and a plurality of Republicans (42%) are more likely to vote for an elected official who supports medical cannabis
  • Just thirteen percent (13%) are less likely to vote for elected officials who support legislation that expands access for medical cannabis

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In Joint Press Conference, AG Wilson Gets In The Weeds About Medical Marijuana

Photo Credit: Andrew Brown, Post & Courier

Columbia, SC – Joined by members of the state’s medical trade association and representatives from the law enforcement community, South Carolina’s Attorney General Alan Wilson declared marijuana “the most dangerous drug in America because it is the most misunderstood drug” at a recent press conference at the Statehouse.

The event was held so the South Carolina Medical Association, the South Carolina Sheriffs’ Association and Wilson could announce their opposition to modernizing the state’s medical marijuana laws.

According to The Post & Courier, the Attorney General rattled off a string of slang to describe the effects of marijuana.

“They use words like stoned, high, wasted, baked, fried, cooked, chonged, cheeched, dope-faced, blazed, blitzed, blunted, blasted, danked, stupid, wrecked — and that’s only half the words they use,” Wilson said.

The Attorney General’s press conference did not go over well on social media.

The State Senate’s leading champion for medical marijuana reform, Senator Tom Davis of Beaufort, chimed in on the Mr. Wilson’s “most dangerous drug in America” declaration.

The state’s former Lieutenant Governor and Anderson pharmacist, Kevin Bryant, amplified Senator Davis’ Tweet.

Momentum has been building over the last few years to modernize the state’s cannabis laws. Senator Tom Davis and others have been sharing stories of South Carolina families whose life have benefited from medical marijuana. The South Carolina Cannabis Association Facebook group page launched the day after Wilson’s press conference to promote reforming marijuana laws.

According to the Charleston City Paper, the Compassionate Care Act would allow doctors to recommend the medical use of cannabis to certain patients with “debilitating medical conditions,” such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It would also create the necessary programs and processes to oversee the cultivation, processing, and dispensing of cannabis in South Carolina.