The South Carolina Senate took a step forward today in the consideration of medical marijuana legislation as Senate Bill 53 was assigned to the Committee on Medical Affairs.
Filed in December by State Senator Thomas Davis, the bill proposes the creation of a legal framework for the medical use of marijuana in South Carolina. It closely aligns with a similar effort introduced in the state’s House of Representatives—House Bill 3019, known as the “Put Patients First Act,” filed by Representative Todd Rutherford.
Both measures aim to establish comprehensive guidelines for medical marijuana use in South Carolina, targeting patients suffering from debilitating medical conditions such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Under Senate Bill 53, registered patients with a doctor’s recommendation would gain access an “Allowable amount of medical cannabis”, which they could purchase from a licensed dispensary. An allowable amount of medical cannabis is defined as:
- cannabis products for topical administration including, but not limited to, patches for transdermal administration or lotions, creams, or ointments, that contain a total of no more than four thousand milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol;
- cannabis products for oral administration including, but not limited to, oils, tinctures, capsules, or edible forms, that contain a total of no more than one thousand six hundred milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol;
- cannabis products that consist of oils for vaporization that contain a total of no more than eight thousand two hundred milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol; or
- for any other modes of delivery, an equivalent amount as determined by the department (South Carolina Department of Public Health).
Qualifying medical conditions under SB 53 include:
- Cancer
- Multiple sclerosis
- A neurological disease or disorder, including epilepsy
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Crohn’s disease
- Sickle cell anemia
- Ulcerative colitis
- Cachexia or wasting syndrome
- Autism
- Severe or persistent nausea (in non-pregnant individuals), related to:
- End-of-life or hospice care
- Being bedridden or homebound due to a condition
- A chronic medical condition causing severe and persistent muscle spasms
- Any chronic or debilitating disease or condition for which an opioid is currently or could be prescribed, based on generally accepted standards of care, provided:
- A physician attests to objective proof of the cause of the patient’s pain
- The patient has been diagnosed with a specific condition or disease causing severe pain, per Section 44-53-2050(A)(3)(h)(i) and (ii)
- A terminal illness with a life expectancy of less than one year, as determined by the treating physician
- Any other serious medical condition or its treatment, as added by the Medical Cannabis Advisory Board
For the full text of SB 53, click here.
