The North Carolina Senate has approved a bill that would legalize medical marijuana, as stated in Marijuana Moment. Bipartisan senators agreed to attach the proposal to a hemp- and kratom-related measure, advancing it through committee and on the floor for an initial vote. It passed on third reading in a 36-10 vote on Monday, sending it to the opposite chamber.
The Courthouse News Service also states that the bill aims to establish a legal limit on the consumable concentration of THC that can be sold, allowing edible products to have a THC concentration up to 0.3%. It also allows doctors to prescribe medical cannabis to patients who have debilitating health conditions.
The bill, which had bipartisan backing, will now be sent back to the House. Despite the fact that both chambers have Republican majorities, the House is not expected to take the bill up for a vote, as Speaker Tim Moore said on the floor that the House lacks Republican support to take up the measure.
“I have said since day one, that as a representative I support the medical cannabis use with appropriate supervision. I don’t have an issue with it,” said Moore. “But it has been a very divisive issue in our caucus.”
Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger said he considered the bill to be the “right thing to do” and that he hoped the House would take it up.