Is North Carolina ready to be the next state to legalize medicinal cannabis?

For those who don’t know, 2022 is the year of cannabis. The world of cannabis has never seen a better time in terms of legalization as open markets are established in different regions. North Carolina appears to be the next in line for states in the United States to approve medical marijuana. The state Senate just granted the first permit to legalize medical marijuana in the state. This is good news for state residents and cannabis enthusiasts everywhere.

Read on as we take a closer look at the cannabis industry scene in the region, what to expect from the bill, and what it can do for the state.

As previously mentioned, the North Carolina Senate has just granted phase one approval for a bill legalizing medical marijuana in the state. This comes just a day after the bill was approved by a grand Senate committee chaired by Senator Bill Rabon (R), who is also a sponsor of the bill. When the bill arrived in the chamber, it received immense support at second reading, with 35 in favor versus 10 against.

The bill’s supporter said ahead of the Senate vote that this bill will help many people at the end of their lives when they need compassion. He believes medicinal cannabis can help people feel as comfortable as possible in the few days or time they have left. Those views were deeply personal to the senator, who is also a cancer survivor and can relate to medical patients in need of comfort.

The bill is called the NC Compassionate Care Act and has already approved three different bodies in 2021. Senator Rabon believes it is the legislature’s duty to approve the bill and ensure it helps those in need. The bill only needs another confirmation vote next week, which will formally send it to the House of Representatives for proper consideration.

When bills like this come up, people want to know what the bill will do if it’s passed. Well, the NC Compassionate Care Act, much like other medical marijuana bills in other states, will help many patients with debilitating health conditions. It also looks at the number of cannabis patients they are allowed to buy, as well as other topics such as cultivation and cannabis-infused products.

Here are the key objectives of the NC Compassionate Care Act, as amended:

• Access to cannabis is granted to patients with debilitating medical conditions including epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, cancer and post-traumatic stress disorder.

• Patients with terminal illnesses and less than 6 months to live and those requiring hospice care are also included in the list, which was amended by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

• Growing cannabis at home is completely banned, however patients are allowed to have up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis.

• The bill also changed the definition of “cannabis-infused” products to the newer version. This version sees the cannabis-infused product as a tablet, capsule, concentrated oil, suspension, concoction, resin or wax.”

• Vaping and smoking cannabis are permitted. However, doctors are obliged to prescribe a certain way of administration and dosage to patients under the changed legislation.

• Patient eligibility for the program is assessed and evaluated at least annually.

• A Compassionate Use Advisory Board will be established to add new medical conditions to qualify patients.

• In addition, a Commission for the Production of Medicinal Cannabis will be created to ensure that patients are adequately supplied with cannabis. The committee will also be given responsibility for generating revenue, overseeing the program and issuing licenses.

• A North Carolina Cannabis Research Program will be established to conduct objective, scientific research into the administration of cannabis and cannabis-infused products.

• The amended law also provides further protections for patients, as government officials are required to handle cannabis as a prescribed controlled substance for qualifying patients.

• The bill’s restrictions include where marijuana can be smoked, the hours of operation of medical cannabis stores, the location of businesses, and the number of certifications a doctor can issue at any one time.

These are just some of the recent revisions to the bill, and many proponents are still hoping and pushing for an expansion of the social justice program.

Senator Rabon was the first to propose an amendment to the bill to the Senate ahead of Thursday’s vote. A major change that was offered was to allow 10 licensed marijuana suppliers to operate up to 8 dispensaries. This is an upgrade from the maximum of four pharmacies provided for in other versions of the bill. The proposed changes also clarified other issues related to fees, reporting requirements, physician conflicts of interest, and other technical fixes.

While many are still waiting for the medical ship for the marijuana bill to come to life, others are already looking beyond. A poll conducted by the Carolina Partnership for Reform shows that 82 percent of North Carolina voters want legalization of medical marijuana in the state. This composition also includes 86 percent Democrats and 75 percent Republicans. Surprisingly, 60 percent of voters also support legalizing recreational cannabis use in the state.

These current numbers are an improvement on results from the same question asked earlier in the year. Currently, three out of four people in the state believe patients should have access to medical marijuana when needed. This creates an ideal situation to see the proper uptake of medical marijuana in the state. For now, all that remains is to await the outcome of the final vote on the bill in the Senate, after which other necessary actions will follow.

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