North Carolina House Says Yes to THC Drug Approval Will this undo the full legalization of medical marijuana?
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The North Carolina House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 448, which legalized FDA-approved THC drugs by a 92-9 vote, the Carolina Journal reported.
The move followed Senate approval of a medical marijuana bill known as the NC Compassionate Care Act, which would also legalize non-FDA-approved medical cannabis.
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Although the NC Compassionate Care Act was expected to face opposition and possibly be held up in the House of Representatives, its chances of passing the House of Representatives now look even slimmer with the passage of Senate Bill 448.
The law approved Wednesday will now be moved to Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s desk, where he can choose to sign it, veto it, or pass it into law with no action.
Senate Bill 448 discloses changes to Schedule VI of the Controlled Substances Act that would allow prescription drugs containing cannabis and THC to be sold and consumed in North Carolina if the FDA approves the drug.
During Wednesday’s debate in the House of Representatives Larry Pitman (R) sought to add an amendment to the Controlled Substances Act that would allow cannabis to remain illegal in the state regardless of FDA or federal government action. Fortunately for medical marijuana patients, the amendment was invalidated.
“The first sentence in the headline is an action that would take place automatically without objection from the Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services Commission,” McElraft said. “They still have the right to do exactly what they did before on this commission. They can still opt out if they have an FDA-approved drug they don’t want to bring to North Carolina. I have to remind you that these are FDA approved drugs. This is not marijuana legalization.”
Rep. Carla Cunningham (D) was also among lawmakers pushing for a vote against the amendment, in which they said some children and their families have been forced to go to Colorado for years to seek an FDA-approved treatment for get uncontrollable seizures.
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Sen. Jim Burgin (R), one of SB 448’s original Senate co-sponsors, was in Denver at the time the bill passed. “This bill will allow us to bring FDA-approved drugs to the public sooner,” Burgin told the Carolina Journal in a phone interview.
Earlier this month, Kansas approved similar legislation, with Gov. Laura Kelly (D) signing a measure that would allow Kansas to receive FDA-approved prescription drugs derived from cannabis products.
This article originally appeared on Benzinga and has been republished with permission.
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