Rep. Dana Rohrabacher’s Respect State Marijuana Laws Act exempts marijuana consumers and businesses from federal criminal penalties if they are acting in compliance with state marijuana laws

WASHINGTON — Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher of California introduced legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday that would resolve the conflict between state and federal marijuana laws and allow states to determine their own marijuana policies.

The Respect State Marijuana Laws Act exempts individuals and entities from certain provisions of the Controlled Substances Act if they are acting in compliance with state marijuana laws. This is the third time Rohrabacher has introduced the bill. Twenty of his colleagues in the House, including seven Republicans, co-sponsored the Respect State Marijuana Laws Act of 2015, which was introduced in the 114th Congress.

“This is commonsense legislation that is long overdue,” said Robert Capecchi, director of federal policies for the Marijuana Policy Project. “It is time to end marijuana prohibition at the federal level and give states the authority to determine their own policies.

“States throughout the country are effectively regulating and controlling marijuana for medical or broader adult use,” Capecchi said. “Federal tax dollars should not be wasted on arresting and prosecuting people who are following their state and local laws.”

Eight states and D.C. have enacted laws making possession and cultivation of limited amounts of marijuana legal for adults 21 years of age and older. Four states — Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington — have established systems for regulating the production and sale of marijuana for adult use. Four additional states that adopted such laws in November — California, Maine, Massachusetts, and Nevada — are in the process of setting up similar systems. Twenty-eight states, D.C., and the U.S. territories of Guam and Puerto Rico have adopted comprehensive medical marijuana laws that allow seriously ill patients to access medical marijuana if their doctors recommend it. Eighteen additional states have adopted limited and/or unworkable medical marijuana laws.

“Nine out of 10 Americans now live in states that have rejected federal marijuana prohibition by adopting some sort of marijuana policy reform,” Capecchi said. “This legislation would ease the tension between state and federal laws to ensure these state-level reforms are successful. It would also help states address the public health and safety priorities shared by state and federal authorities.”

A national Gallup poll released in October shows public support for making marijuana legal in the U.S. has reached a record high of 60%, up from 58% in 2015 and 50% in 2011. The Pew Research Center also released a national poll in October showing support at 57%, up from 53% in 2015. In August 2015, the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) approved a resolution urging the federal government to allow states to determine their own marijuana policies.

“The call for federal marijuana policy reform is growing louder and louder,” said Don Murphy, MPP director of conservative outreach. “Congress needs to listen to their constituents and to state lawmakers, most of whom agree marijuana policy is an issue best left to the states. This is a bipartisan solution that ought to find support on both sides of the aisle.”

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Three out of five Rhode Island voters (59%) are now in favor and only 36% are opposed; additional local polls found strong majority support in Providence, Warwick, Cranston, Newport, North Kingstown, and Burrilleville/Glocester

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A new poll shows momentum is building behind the effort to end marijuana prohibition in Rhode Island. Regulate Rhode Island director Jared Moffat held a news conference Tuesday at the State House to discuss the results. He was joined by Sen. Joshua Miller (D-Cranston) and Rep. Scott Slater (D-Providence), who recently introduced the Cannabis Regulation, Control, and Taxation Act.

According to the new poll from Public Policy Polling (PPP), about three out of five voters in the state (59%) are now in favor of regulating and taxing marijuana like alcohol, up from 57% in 2015. Only about one out of three voters (36%) is opposed. The statewide survey of 759 registered Rhode Island voters was conducted January 27-29 and has a margin of error of +/- 3.6%. The full poll results are available at http://www.regulateri.com/polling.

“Rhode Island has the opportunity to become the third New England state to regulate marijuana for adult use,” said Miller, chairman of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. “The results of this poll confirm that our constituents want us to follow the same path as Massachusetts and Maine.”

Separate polls of voters in various Rhode Island cities and towns found support for regulating and taxing marijuana is strong throughout the state:

•    Providence: 62% in favor; 31% opposed (354 respondents; MOE +/-5.2%)
•    Cranston: 58% in favor (up from 50% in 2015); 41% opposed (195 respondents; MOE +/-7.0%)
•    Warwick: 61% in favor; 35% opposed (254 respondents; MOE +/-6.2%)
•    Newport: 64% in favor (up from 58% in 2015); 33% opposed (156 respondents; MOE +/-7.9%)
•    North Kingstown: 53% in favor; 45% opposed (225 respondents; MOE +/-6.5%)
•    Burrillville/Glocester: 70% in favor; 27% opposed (187 respondents; MOE +/-7.2%)

PPP polls conducted in 2015 also found 60% support in Coventry, 63% support in Cumberland, 52% support in Johnston, and 54% support in Narragansett.

“A strong and growing majority of voters support our proposal to regulate marijuana,” Rep. Slater said. “Our job is to represent the people of this state, and their position on this issue is pretty clear. It’s time to replace the senseless policy of marijuana prohibition with a sensible policy of regulation.”

The Cannabis Regulation, Control, and Taxation Act would allow adults 21 and older to possess up to one ounce of marijuana and grow one mature marijuana plant in an enclosed, locked space. It would establish the Office of Cannabis Coordination within the executive branch, which would be charged with coordinating among state agencies to establish a tightly regulated system of licensed marijuana retail stores, cultivation facilities, processing facilities, and testing facilities. The legislation would also create a 23% excise tax on retail marijuana sales in addition to the standard 7% sales tax.

“Most Rhode Islanders recognize prohibition has failed and seem to view regulating marijuana is a no-brainer,” Moffat said. “Regulation better protects young people, improves public health and safety, and creates more economic opportunities for workers and entrepreneurs in our state. No matter how you look at it, this is clearly a smart path for us to take. Lawmakers would be wise to follow the will of their constituents.”

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Regulate Rhode Island is a coalition of citizens and organizations committed to ending the failed policy of marijuana prohibition and replacing it with a system in which marijuana is regulated and taxed similarly to alcohol. Member organizations include the Rhode Island NAACP, Rhode Island ACLU, Rhode Island Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Rhode Island Sierra Club, Rhode Island Republican Liberty Caucus, Rhode Island Young Democrats, Clergy for a New Drug Policy, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, and the Marijuana Policy Project, among others. For more information, visit http://www.RegulateRI.com.

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The state has experienced a significant drop in ‘marijuana-related’ ER visits, as well as a decrease in marijuana-related poison center calls and unintentional exposures in children

The rate of teen use has not changed since legalization and is nearly identical to the national average, according to ‘the most comprehensive data available’

DENVER — The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment highlighted several “encouraging trends” in its latest annual report on marijuana-related health concerns.

According to the report:

•    “For adults and adolescents, past-month marijuana use has not changed since legalization either in terms of the number of people using or the frequency of use among users.”

•    “Based on the most comprehensive data available, past-month marijuana use among Colorado adolescents is nearly identical to the national average.”

•    “Daily or near-daily marijuana use among adults is much lower than daily or near-daily alcohol or tobacco use. Among adolescents, past month marijuana use is lower than past month alcohol use.”

•    “Marijuana exposure calls to the poison center appear to be decreasing since 2015, including unintentional exposures in children ages 0-8 years.”

•    “The overall rate of emergency department visits with marijuana-related billing codes dropped 27 percent from 2014 to 2015 (2016 data is not available yet).”

•    The estimated percentage of women in Colorado who used marijuana during pregnancy is “not statistically different” from the national average.

Statement from Mason Tvert, the Denver-based director of communications for the Marijuana Policy Project:

“Colorado continues to demonstrate that regulating marijuana works. It is dispelling the myth that the sky will fall if marijuana is made legal for adults. What we are actually seeing is a tightly controlled system of marijuana production and sales that is making our communities safer. We are encouraged by these trends and optimistic about the future of the state, which is setting an example for the rest of the nation. It is clear that prohibition is neither the only way nor the best way to address marijuana-related health concerns. Colorado is taking a more realistic approach, and it is experiencing real results.”

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Bill details and statements below from Sen. Richard S. Madaleno Jr., Sen. William C. Smith Jr., Del. David Moon, and Del. Mary Washington

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — State lawmakers rolled out legislation Monday that would regulate and tax cannabis similarly to alcohol in Maryland. Senate and House bill sponsors discussed the details of the proposal at a news conference in the Lowe House of Delegates Office Building.

The proposal consists of two bills — a regulation bill and a tax bill — that will each be filed in the Senate and the House. The regulation bill, sponsored by Sen. Richard S. Madaleno Jr. (D-Montgomery) and Del. Curt Anderson (D-Baltimore City), would make possession and home cultivation of limited amounts of cannabis legal for adults 21 years of age and older. It would remain illegal to consume cannabis in public or drive under the influence. Prior convictions for adults 21 and older possessing or growing amounts of cannabis made lawful by the bill would be expunged.

The bill would also create a structure for licensing and regulating a limited number of cannabis retail stores, product manufacturers, testing facilities, cultivation facilities, and craft cultivators (that would grow smaller amounts of cannabis to sell only to cultivation facilities and product manufacturers). The Comptroller of Maryland would be responsible for issuing licenses and creating rules, and the Department of Agriculture would be responsible for licensing and regulating the cultivation of industrial hemp. Cities and towns would have the authority to limit the location and number of cannabis establishments within their jurisdictions, as well as ban certain types of businesses.

The tax bill, sponsored by Madaleno in the Senate and Del. Mary Washington (D-Baltimore City) in the House, would create a structure for taxing cannabis and allocating the revenue. It would initially enact an excise tax of $30 per ounce, which would generally be paid by cultivators, and a 9% sales tax on retail cannabis sales, which is the same as the sales tax rate on alcohol. Cannabis tax revenue would be used to cover the cost of administering the program, and then the remaining revenue would be allocated as follows: 50% for the community schools program; 25% for substance abuse treatment and prevention; 15% for workforce development programs; and 10% for combating impaired driving through public education and additional law enforcement training.

The legislation addresses concerns that have been raised about the licensing process for medical cannabis businesses. Specifically, it provides opportunities for small businesses, ensures the licensing process is subject to the Minority Business Enterprise Program, and requires outreach to diverse communities to ensure they are aware of new business opportunities. It also contains strong provisions aimed at protecting public health and safety, such as mandatory product testing and labeling; restrictions on advertising and marketing; and rules limiting edible products to a single serving of THC and requiring opaque, child-resistant packaging. Neither of the bills would affect the rights of patients under Maryland’s existing medical cannabis program, and taxes would only be applied to nonmedical cannabis.

Sixty-four percent of likely Maryland voters support making cannabis legal for adults, according to a Washington Post-University of Maryland poll conducted in September 2016.

Statement from Sen. Richard S. Madaleno Jr., vice-chair of the Senate Budget and Tax Committee and sponsor of the regulation and tax bills:

“This legislation will effectively end the failed policy of cannabis prohibition in Maryland and replace it with a much more sensible system. It establishes a thoughtful regulatory scheme and tax structure based on best practices and lessons learned from other states. Colorado and other states are raising millions of dollars in new revenue each month and creating thousands of good jobs. Maryland is not only missing out on the benefits, but enduring the many problems associated with prohibition.”

Statement from Sen. William C. Smith, primary co-sponsor of the regulation bill in the Senate:

“African Americans are far more likely to be the subject of marijuana enforcement than other Marylanders. Decriminalization reduces the number of Marylanders who are branded criminals, but it does not change the fact that marijuana laws are not enforced equally, and that people of color are disproportionately punished. Decriminalization also does nothing to stop the public safety issues that arise when a lucrative market is driven underground. It’s time to put marijuana sales behind the counter, and to let adults make their own decisions about using a substance that is safer than alcohol.”

Statement from Del. Mary Washington, sponsor of the tax bill in the House:

“Tax revenue from cannabis sales will generate much-needed funds for our state. Our tax bill will allocate half of the revenues from cannabis taxes to the community schools program, which benefits high-poverty schools across Maryland. It will also provide funding for treatment services that are needed to address our state’s battle with opioid addiction.”

Statement from Del. Moon, a co-sponsor of the regulation and tax bills:

“A strong and growing majority of Marylanders support ending cannabis prohibition. Rather than lagging behind our constituents, we need to get behind them and pass this legislation this year. Several states are now effectively regulating and taxing cannabis, and it is time for Maryland to join them.”

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The Maryland Cannabis Policy Coalition is a coalition of citizens and organizations committed to ending the failed policy of cannabis prohibition and replacing it with a system in which cannabis is regulated and taxed similarly to alcohol. For more information, visit http://www.MarylandCannabisPolicy.org.

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Question 1 takes effect, making Maine the eighth state (in addition to D.C.) in which adults 21 and older can legally possess limited amounts of marijuana; the voter-approved law also allows adults to grow a limited amount of marijuana in their homes

* Statements below from local and national representatives of the Marijuana Policy Project, which led the successful campaign *
PORTLAND, Maine — A voter-approved initiative to end marijuana prohibition in Maine officially took effect Monday, making it legal for adults 21 and older to possess and grow limited amounts of marijuana.

“The era of marijuana prohibition in Maine is finally coming to an end,” said David Boyer, Maine political director for the Marijuana Policy Project, who served as campaign manager for the Yes on 1 campaign. “Responsible adult marijuana consumers will no longer be harassed and treated like criminals. Police will be able to spend more time addressing serious crimes rather than punishing adults for using a substance that is safer than alcohol.”

Under Question 1, which voters approved in November and Gov. Paul LePage certified on December 31, adults 21 years of age and older can legally possess up to two and a half ounces of marijuana, grow up to six flowering marijuana plants and 12 non-flowering plants, and possess the marijuana harvested from those plants inside their residence. It will remain illegal to use marijuana in public and to drive while impaired by marijuana. The law will not affect employers’ drug-testing policies or their rights to prohibit marijuana use by employees.

The Legislature is in the process of establishing a regulated system of marijuana cultivation and sales, which is currently scheduled to be up and running by February 1, 2018.

“Now that adults can legally possess and consume marijuana, they need places where they can legally purchase it,” Boyer said. “The next step is to take the criminal element out of production and sales. We are hopeful that the Legislature will respect the will of the voters and work diligently to establish a sensible regulatory system.”

Marijuana is now legal for adults in eight states, including Maine, as well as in the District of Columbia. The measures approved by voters last November in California, Massachusetts, and Nevada took effect on November 9, December 15, and January 1, respectively. The laws in Alaska, Oregon, and D.C. were adopted in November 2014, and the laws in Colorado and Washington were adopted in 2012.

“Every time a state makes marijuana legal for adults, support for enacting similar laws grows in other states,” said Mason Tvert, director of communications for the Marijuana Policy Project, which backed the Question 1 campaign in Maine, as well as the successful campaigns in Alaska, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, and Nevada. “Legislatures around the country are considering proposals to regulate marijuana like alcohol this year. Why cling to a policy as wasteful, problematic, and antiquated as marijuana prohibition while your neighbors are moving forward with more sensible policies?”

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Criminal justice reform advocates say Vermont should join other New England states that are removing legal penalties for adult possession and home cultivation of small amounts of marijuana

MONTPELIER, Vt. — A renewed push to end marijuana prohibition in Vermont kicked off Wednesday with a news conference at the State House.

Members of the Vermont Coalition to Regulate Marijuana, including representatives from Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform, ACLU-VT, and the Marijuana Policy Project, said Vermont should join other New England states that are removing legal penalties for adult possession and home cultivation of small amounts of marijuana. Massachusetts and Maine are in the process of implementing voter-approved initiatives to make marijuana legal for adults and regulate it like alcohol.

Under current Vermont law, possession of up to one ounce of marijuana is a civil violation punishable by a fine of up to $200 for a first offense. Possession of one to two ounces of marijuana and cultivation of up to two marijuana plants are criminal misdemeanors punishable by a fine and up to six months in jail. In the neighboring state of Massachusetts, it is now legal for adults 21 and older to possess up to one ounce of marijuana and grow up to six marijuana plants in their homes. In Maine, possession of up to 2.5 ounces and home cultivation of up to six plants will officially become legal on January 30.

“Massachusetts, Maine, and six other states have made marijuana legal for adult use,” said Matt Simon, New England Political Director for the Marijuana Policy Project. “It makes no sense for Vermont to continue punishing adults for using a substance that is safer than alcohol. Lawmakers should move swiftly to eliminate penalties for adult possession and limited home cultivation. They can then work to implement a reasonably regulated system that will take marijuana sales out of the illicit market.”

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The Vermont Coalition to Regulate Marijuana is a broad coalition of citizens, organizations, and businesses working to end marijuana prohibition in Vermont and replace it with a system in which marijuana is regulated and taxed. For more information, visit http://www.RegulateVermont.org.

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The review of more than 10,000 scientific abstracts concluded marijuana is beneficial in the treatment of chronic pain, chemotherapy-induced nausea, and multiple sclerosis; it also found no link between smoking marijuana and lung cancer, no physiological ‘gateway’ effect, and no link between marijuana use and mortality, overdose deaths, or occupational accidents  

WASHINGTON — The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released a report on the health impacts of marijuana Thursday, confirming the existence of medical benefits and dispelling some long-held myths about the substance.

The review of more than 10,000 scientific abstracts found, “There is conclusive or substantial evidence that cannabis or cannabinoids are effective” for the treatment of chronic pain in adults, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, and multiple sclerosis spasticity.

“These findings clearly undermine the federal government’s decision to classify marijuana under Schedule I, which is reserved for substances with no medical value,” said Mason Tvert, director of communications for the Marijuana Policy Project. “It confirms that marijuana has several medical benefits and is not nearly as problematic as people are often led to believe. There is no rational or scientific justification for our nation’s current marijuana prohibition policy.”

The report also dispels several myths about the health impacts of marijuana. It found no links between smoking marijuana and the development of lung, head, or neck cancers, nor did it establish a link between marijuana use and asthma or other respiratory diseases. The respiratory problems that it did link to smoking marijuana, such as bronchitis, appear to improve after the consumer ceases their use.

According to the report, “There is no or insufficient evidence” linking marijuana use to all-cause mortality (death), deaths from overdose, or occupational accidents or injuries. It also found no substantial evidence of a link between the use of marijuana and the use of other illegal drugs. The report also does not appear to make any links between marijuana use and violent or aggressive behavior. Several of these findings were also included in the National Academies of Sciences’ previous report on marijuana, which was released in 1999.

“The report essentially concludes that marijuana is not harmless, but it is not as harmful as many other products that are regulated for adult use,” Tvert said. “If the researchers conducted a similar study on alcohol, they would conclude that it poses far more harm and provides far fewer medical benefits than marijuana. Marijuana is objectively less harmful than alcohol, and that should be reflected in our nation’s laws.”

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. — As the Massachusetts government prepares to implement an initiative to regulate and tax marijuana that was approved by voters in November, lawmakers in Rhode Island are poised to introduce similar legislation.

The bill sponsors, Sen. Joshua Miller (D-Cranston) and State Rep. Scott Slater (D-Providence), discussed the proposal at a news conference Wednesday in the Rhode Island State House. They were joined by members of the Regulate Rhode Island coalition, including co-chairs Andrew Horwitz, a professor and criminal defense attorney, and Dr. James Crowley, past president of the Rhode Island Medical Society.

“We have a responsible, fine-tuned bill, and we should pass it this year,” said Miller, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services. “This year’s bill addresses the issues that have been raised by the governor and stakeholders, and it is streamlined to work effectively with the regulatory structure in place for medical marijuana.

“Polls of residents in towns across Rhode Island show a majority of voters in our state — from Narragansett to Cumberland — support this proposal. Our constituents think it is time for lawmakers to pass this legislation, and we should listen to them. If we fail to pass the bill this year, we will lose significant ground to Massachusetts and Rhode Islanders will simply be able to cross the border to purchase marijuana there.”

The Cannabis Regulation, Control, and Taxation Act would allow adults 21 and older to possess up to one ounce of marijuana and grow one mature marijuana plant in an enclosed, locked space. It would establish the Office of Cannabis Coordination within the executive branch, which would be charged with coordinating among state agencies to establish a tightly regulated system of licensed marijuana retail stores, cultivation facilities, processing facilities, and testing facilities. The legislation would also create a 23% excise tax on retail marijuana sales in addition to the standard 7% sales tax.

“Eight states have passed laws to regulate and tax cannabis for adult use,” Slater said. “We have had several years to see how regulation works in Colorado and Washington, and we have learned important lessons from their experiences. This legislation represents a sensible policy reform that has been shown to work successfully in other states.”

The legislation contains strong provisions aimed at protecting public health and safety, including mandatory product testing and labeling, strict restrictions on advertising and marketing to minors, and funding dedicated to the enforcement of impaired driving laws.

The proposal also includes tight regulations on edible marijuana products, including a limit of one serving of THC per product, a prohibition on products with designs that may appeal to children, and a mandatory product review process. The measure also provides for local control, allowing towns and cities to “opt out” and ban marijuana establishments within their jurisdictions.

According to multiple state and federal government surveys, rates of teen marijuana use have remained relatively unchanged — and in some cases have decreased — in states that have adopted laws regulating marijuana for adult use. More information is available at http://www.regulateri.com/teen-use.

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Regulate Rhode Island is a coalition of citizens and organizations committed to ending the failed policy of marijuana prohibition and replacing it with a system in which marijuana is regulated and taxed similarly to alcohol. Member organizations include the Rhode Island NAACP, Rhode Island ACLU, Rhode Island Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Rhode Island Sierra Club, Rhode Island Republican Liberty Caucus, Rhode Island Young Democrats, Clergy for a New Drug Policy, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, and the Marijuana Policy Project, among others. For more information, visit http://www.RegulateRI.com.

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Sessions did NOT commit to vigorously enforcing federal prohibition laws in states that have adopted conflicting laws

Earlier in the day, Trump spokesman Sean Spicer signaled that Sessions would follow Trump’s lead on marijuana policy; Trump has said states should be able to establish their own marijuana laws

WASHINGTON — The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) has issued the statement below in response to comments about marijuana policy that were made during the Senate Judiciary Committee’s confirmation hearing for attorney general nominee Sen. Jeff Sessions.

Sen. Patrick Leahy asked Sessions whether he would use federal resources to enforce federal marijuana prohibition laws in states that have adopted laws allowing the use of medical marijuana. Sen. Mike Lee also asked the nominee a question about marijuana policy.

During an appearance earlier in the day on Fox News Channel, President-elect Donald Trump’s spokesman Sean Spicer signaled that Sessions would adhere to Trump’s position that states should be able to establish their own marijuana policies. “When you come into a Trump administration, it’s the Trump agenda you’re implementing and not your own,” he said. “I think Senator Sessions is well aware of that.”

‪Statement from MPP Director of Federal Policies Robert Capecchi:

“It is notable that Sen. Sessions chose not to commit to vigorously enforcing federal prohibition laws in states that have reformed their marijuana laws. He also recognized that enforcing federal marijuana laws would be dependent upon the availability of resources, the scarcity of which poses a problem. He was given the opportunity to take an extreme prohibitionist approach and he passed on it.

“‪It's also promising that Donald Trump’s spokesperson said earlier in the day that the next attorney general would follow the president-elect’s lead on the issue. President-elect Trump has made it clear that he supports states’ rights to establish their own marijuana policies. Considering both Sen. Sessions and Mr. Spicer's comments, we remain cautiously optimistic that the incoming administration will continue the current policy of not interfering with individuals and entities acting in compliance with state marijuana laws.”

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Statements below from the lead Senate and House bill sponsors, Sen. Tom Davis and Rep. Peter McCoy, and SC Compassion President Jill Swing, whose 9-year-old daughter would benefit from medical cannabis

* Additional patients are available for interviews in cities across South Carolina *

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A bipartisan group of state lawmakers are introducing comprehensive medical cannabis legislation Tuesday in both chambers of the South Carolina General Assembly. The South Carolina Compassionate Care Act will allow patients suffering from debilitating medical conditions to access medical cannabis if their doctors recommend it.

“This legislation will establish a comprehensive and tightly regulated medical cannabis program,” said Sen. Tom Davis, (R-Beaufort), the bill’s lead sponsor in the Senate. “It will ensure seriously ill patients are able to access this medicine safely and legally if their doctors believe it will help them. South Carolinians suffering from debilitating conditions deserve the same chance at relief as the roughly 200 million Americans living in states that have adopted similar laws.”

Under the proposed law, the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) would license and regulate a limited number of qualified medical cannabis cultivation centers, processing facilities, independent testing laboratories, and dispensaries. It would issue registration cards to patients with qualifying medical conditions who have received written recommendations from their physicians, allowing them to purchase a limited amount of medical cannabis from a licensed dispensary. Similar laws have been adopted in 28 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories of Guam and Puerto Rico.

“This legislation is about helping people who are in need, who are suffering, and who are in pain,” said Rep. Peter McCoy (R-Charleston), the bill’s lead sponsor in the House. “There are so many circumstances in which medical marijuana can provide substantial help to families and friends in South Carolina. I’m hopeful that with the filing of this bill we can raise awareness and move the ball forward when it comes to treating South Carolina citizens with epilepsy, PTSD, cancer, and many other debilitating conditions.”

In 2014, South Carolina adopted a law that allows patients with severe forms of epilepsy to use preparations of cannabis that contain high levels of CBD and very low levels of THC. It does not cover a variety of other debilitating conditions for which medical cannabis can be efficacious, and it does not provide for a regulated supply of CBD products. Some epilepsy patients also report that a greater ratio of THC to CBD is necessary for it to be effective in reducing the frequency and severity of seizures.

“My daughter has run out of traditional treatment options and medical cannabis could help her,” said SC Compassion President Jill Swing of Charleston, whose 9-year-old daughter, Mary Louise, has cerebral palsy and epilepsy. “She has experienced some benefits from CBD oil, but whole-plant treatments are far more effective at controlling her seizures. This legislation would truly improve her quality of life.”

More than three out of four South Carolina residents (78%) think cannabis should be made legal for medical use, according to a September 2016 Winthrop Poll commissioned by The State newspaper. Only about one in six South Carolinians (16%) think it should remain illegal.

“We are tired of seeing loved ones suffer, families torn apart, and lives destroyed by our state’s current cannabis policy,” Swing said. “Seriously ill South Carolinians should not have to break the law or move to another state to access this medically beneficial and often life-saving plant. We are thankful that compassionate lawmakers have heard our pleas for help and responded with this commonsense legislation.”

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SC Compassion is a statewide coalition of patients, families, and advocates working to establish a comprehensive medical cannabis program in South Carolina. For more information, visit https://SCCompassion.com.

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