RALEIGH, NC (WGHP) – North Carolina state senators marched for a long weekend on a high Thursday after passing a bill to make medical marijuana available to those suffering from a variety of diseases.
The second reading of Senate Bill 711, 35-10, was passed, and the bill will be passed in the House of Representatives, which cannot attend this session.
Eight Republicans and two Democrats: Don Davis, a congressional candidate for the first congressional district, and Julie Mayfield, of Buncombe County, voted no. One such Republican is Chuck Edwards of Waynesville, the running candidate to succeed Deputy Madison Cawthorn in the 11th Congressional District.
Senator Bill Rabon spoke Wednesday and Thursday in favor of the Senate Bill 711, which he sponsored. (Ethan Hyman / The News & Observer via AP, file)
The bill would allow a doctor to recommend medical marijuana products for specific conditions and illnesses, and patients 18 years of age or older will be issued registration ID cards to verify their permitted use of the products. Patients under the age of 18 require a stricter approval and treatment process.
There would be authorized dealers / sellers who would only be open between 7am and 7pm, and smoking bans would apply. The regulations are strict.
Offenders would be prosecuted for crimes. A state board would be created and appointed to oversee the process, as a state election board. But medical marijuana, which is legal in some states in 48 states but not in North Carolina or Nebraska, is controversial because some fear it is an entry drug as recreational marijuana is said to be, and others argue whether it is effective in treating diseases or simply masks. symptoms for patients.
Its uses
The variants of CBD and THC used in medical marijuana can be smoked, inhaled, ingested, or taken under the tongue. Medical experts present their benefits for the treatment of glaucoma and chemotherapy, and several senators who spoke during the pre-vote debate provided examples of how it helped with post-traumatic stress disorder, especially among veterans.
WebMD also lists Alzheimer’s disease, loss of appetite, various cancers, Crohn’s disease, HIV / AIDS, MS, epilepsy, and more general effects such as nausea, seizures, muscle spasms, and pain. There is also a feeling that CBD can help with anxiety and have a greater impact on side effects (such as chemotherapy).
Senators tabled an amendment proposed by Mayfield to address the concern that North Carolina companies could not obtain a license under the structure of the bill. He said only large multistate companies could qualify.
What about the House?
State Representative Pricey Harrison
It seems questionable whether the House will address this bill during this short session. Even during a debate Thursday on a tangentially related bill on CBD oil, some members of the House declared opposition to medical marijuana, with at least one, MP Pat McElraft (R-Carteret), who to say he didn’t want “medical marijuana to be sold. on the street corner.” Another called it the “new version of Big Tobacco.”
Rep. Pricey Harrison (D-Greensboro) said: “I’ve been working on legalizing medical cannabis for most of my 18-year legislative career. Former Rep. Earl Jones rolled the ball before he was elected. and I joined his efforts once I was elected. I continue to be a great advocate. “
He cited how 37 states and the District of Columbia have authorized it (most of them have CBD oil for medical purposes). “We’ve been joining them for a long time,” he said. “The states that enacted it have lower rates of opioid addiction and overdose. And the benefits are well documented, from therapeutic impacts to pain relief.
“As for whether the House will take over, I will have to hand it over to my fellow GOP members. Most, if not all, Democrats support it.”
No other member of the Triad’s legislative delegation responded to an email asking for comments on this bill and its prospects in the House.
Harrison said the bill will go to Destin Hall (R-Caldwell), chair of the House Rules Committee, which includes Rep. Jon Hardister (R-Whitsett) and Rep. Amos Quick (D-Greensboro). of the Triad.
“He [Hall] you can count votes, “Harrison said.
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