The South Carolina House found a way to kill seven years of hard work on what is considered the most restrictive medical cannabis law in the country. It eliminated it Wednesday on a technicality regarding sales tax.
Prior to the House starting its discussion on several bills, Rep. John McCravy (R-Greenwood) csaid the medical cannabis bill was irregular due to generating 6% sales tax. Under the state law, any bill that generates revenue must start in the South Carolina House, but this bill originated in Senate, reported WMBF News.
Speaker Pro Tem Tommy Pope said: "This bill levies taxes in the strictest sense of the word. It is a core ingredient. It established a separate tax to create the whole infrastructure.”
House members approved Pope’s ruling in a 59-55 vote, killing it for this year.
The Fight Will Continue
Sponsored by Sen. Tom Davis (R), the bill was passed by the Senate in February on a bipartisan vote.
Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey said the ruling “will likely have significant consequences” between the Senate and the House,” reported U.S.News.
House Minority Leader Todd Rutherford agreed, saying that this could destroy decades of work between the Senate and House.
“The bill is dead. And it is dead because the House with Speaker Pro Tem Pope decided to take complete control of the General Assembly," the Democratic leader said.
According to Davis, the bill had around 70 votes of support, which is around 10 more than it needed to pass. The Republican further revealed he will look for another bill that medical marijuana can be attached that would not end with the same fate.
The legislation backers have only four day to get the measure through the state's General Assembly before the session is over.
“We suffered a setback procedurally in the House today. I can't cry about it. I can't pout about it. I can't go back and lash out and hurt other people’s bills. That’s not productive," Davis said.
“There's frustration. Seven years worth of work. Seven years worth of public testimony. Seven years worth of doctors and caregivers and moms and people coming and testifying and talking how this could make a material difference in their lives,” he continued, adding he will continue to fight for it.
Bill Highlights
Davis created the measure to be as restrictive as possible, specifying the diseases that could treated like cancer, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma, sickle cell anemia and autism.
Furthermore, it would allow for cannabis to be obtained only through selected pharmacies, and smoking would remain illegal.
To prescribe medical marijuana, physicians would have to meet patients in person, and patients could only get a supply for two weeks at one time.
Cunningham Slams Gov. Henry McMaster
State gubernatorial candidate Joe Cunningham condemned Gov. Henry McMaster and the state legislature after the decision. He released the following statement:
“Gov. McMaster and his allies in the legislature could screw up a two-car parade. This is a historic failure of leadership by this governor and legislators to pass a watered-down version of the most conservative medical marijuana bill in the entire country. If Henry McMaster wanted this bill to pass, it would have passed a long time ago. But the reality is he doesn’t support this bill and he never did.”
Furthermore, he said South Carolina and the U.S. have been held back by “geriatric politicians” with “outdated worldviews.”
Photo: Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
