SC could legalize medical marijuana
The unofficial 420 holiday passed just a few days ago, bringing attention to the fact that South Carolina is one of the states that has yet to legalize marijuana usage.
In the U.S., marijuana use is legal across 24 states, according to the Pew Research Center. That is nearly half the country. Medical marijuana use is legal in even more states, according to a USA Today story.
If passed, South Carolina’s Bill S423, also known as the Compassionate Care Act, would create a well-regulated medical cannabis program allowing severely ill patients to use medicinal marijuana as recommended by their physicians.
What is Bill S423?
Under Bill S423, seriously ill individuals will register through DHEC to use marijuana for medicinal purposes as recommended by their physician and dispensed by a therapeutic cannabis pharmacy, according to the SC Compassionate Care Alliance. This medical freedom is allowed to residents in 37 states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
To qualify for the program, patients must be diagnosed with a qualifying health condition and a written certification from a physician. They would also need to DHEC for a registration card containing their photo.
The bill does not allow the use of marijuana through cannabis smoking, home cultivation, or raw cannabis.
What conditions qualify under Bill S423?
• Cancer
• Multiple sclerosis
• A neurological disease or disorder (including epilepsy)
• Sickle cell anemia
• PTSD
• Autism
• Crohn’s disease
• Ulcerative colitis
• Achexia
• A condition causing a person to be homebound that includes severe or persistent nausea
• Terminal illness
• Chronic medical condition causing severe and persistent muscle spasms
• Chronic medical condition for which an opioid is or could be prescribed based on standards of care
What is the status of Bill S423?
On Tuesday, April 9, a press conference was held in the S.C. statehouse lobby regarding Bill S423. According to SC Compassionate Care Alliance, the bill has been picked up in the State House of Representatives. Earlier this year in the state Senate, a bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced and passed the comprehensive medical cannabis legislation.
The legislation would allow DHEC to license and oversee several dispensaries, independent testing labs, medical cannabis cultivation centers, and processing facilities. Qualified patients under the bill would be able to purchase a restricted quantity of medical cannabis derivatives from an authorized cannabis pharmacy.
What conditions is medical marijuana used for?
According to WebMD, medical marijuana is used to alleviate the negative effects of the following conditions:
• Severe and chronic pain
• Multiple sclerosis and muscle spasms
• Severe nausea and vomiting caused by cancer treatment
• Epilepsy and seizures
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
• HIV/AIDS
• Crohn’s disease
• Glaucoma
• Migraine
• Anorexia
• Extreme weight loss and weakness (wasting syndrome)
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• PTSD
Where is medicinal marijuana legal in the US?
The legal use of medical marijuana in the US is even greater than recreational marijuana:
• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Iowa
• Louisiana
• Maryland
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• New Hampshire
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Pennysylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Dakota
• West Virginia
• Utah
Where is recreational marijuana legal in the US?
Recreational marijuana is currently legal, or will soon become legal, in the following states, including the District of Columbia and Washington D.C.:
• Alaska
• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Illinois
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nevada
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• Ohio
• Oregon
• Rhode Island
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
Nina Tran covers trending topics. Reach her via email at ntran@gannett.com