south carolina Archives

South Carolina Bill Would Decriminalize Marijuana and Hash Possession

December 25, 2018 by Anthony Martinelli

Legislation to decriminalize the possession of marijuana and hash has been prefiled in South Carolina’s Legislature.

South Carolina House Bill 3276 was prefiled by State Representative Ivory Thigpen last week for the upcoming legislative session which starts in January. The measure has been referred to the House Committee on Judiciary. If approved by the committee it would move towards a vote by the full House of Representatives, where passage would sent it to the Senate; passage in the Senate would put it before Governor Henry McMaster for final consideration.

House Bill 3276 would decriminalize, and thus remove the possibility of jail time or a criminal record, for the possession of up to 28 grams (one ounce) of marijuana, and up to 10 grams of hash. As most, law enforcement would be able to issue a civil infraction similar to a speeding ticket.

South Carolina Committee Approves Medical Cannabis Legislation

April 19, 2018 by Anthony Martinelli

South Carolina’s House Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee overwhelmingly approved a medical cannabis legalization bill on Thursday.

The South Carolina Compassionate Care Act (House Bill 3521), was passed by the committee in a 14 to 3 vote. The bill would allow those with certain medical conditions who receive a doctor recommendation to use medical cannabis and cannabis products. A companion measure in the Senate was passed through the Senate Medical Affairs Committee late last month.

“The diligent work of patients, advocates, and supportive lawmakers is paying off, and South Carolinians are closer to finding relief with medical cannabis than ever before,” says Janel Ralph, executive director of Compassionate South Carolina, which has been working to legalize medical cannabis in the state for years. “This issue needs to stay at the forefront of the legislature’s attention, and we will continue working to educate them about the need for a compassionate medical cannabis program in our state. Patients will continue to suffer until this bill is passed and implemented. We commend lawmakers for allowing the Compassionate Care Act to progress this far, and urge them not to delay taking it up when the next session begins.”

South Carolina Senate Committee Approves Medical Marijuana Bill

April 3, 2018March 29, 2018 by Anthony Martinelli

South Carolina’s Senate Medical Affairs Committee approved a medical marijuana bill on Thursday, sending it to the full Senate for consideration.

The South Carolina Compassionate Care Act (Senate Bill 212), would allow seriously ill patients to use marijuana to treat their conditions with a recommendation from their doctors.

“There are thousands of South Carolinians who are suffering from serious illness and they’ve already waited far too long,” said Janel Ralph, executive director of Compassionate South Carolina, whose eight-year-old daughter has a rare seizure disorder. “A large majority of voters want to see a compassionate medical cannabis law pass and lawmakers should remain focused on this issue. It isn’t going away. We hope the Senate will take up the measure for a floor vote without further delay, so that patients may finally have relief,” said Ralph.

Poll: 61% of South Carolina Voters Support Legalizing Medical Cannabis

January 11, 2018January 11, 2018 by Anthony Martinelli

According to new polling a strong majority of voters in South Carolina want cannabis to be legal for medical purposes.

According to the new Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy survey, 61% of South Carolina voters support making physician-approved medical cannabis use legal. Just 31% are opposed, with 8% undecided.

“The numbers in the poll are positive,” said Jill Swing, founder of SC Compassionate Care Alliance, which is advocating for medical cannabis legalization. Swing says she wants a bill passed that allows “safe, legal access to patients who do not want to break the law.”

Bill to Create Industrial Hemp Program Passes South Carolina House with 105 to 0 Vote

April 5, 2017 by Anthony Martinelli

A bill to establish an industrial hemp program in South Carolina has been passed by the state’s House of Representatives.

House Bill 3559 – which was filed by a bipartisan coalition of 16 state representatives – was passed yesterday with a unanimous 105 to 0 vote. This sends it to the Senate, where passage will put it to the desk of Governor Henry McMaster for consideration.

According to an official summary:

Law Enforcement Figures to Testify Today in Favor of South Carolina Bill to Legalize Medical Cannabis

March 29, 2017 by Anthony Martinelli

A longtime leader of the South Carolina Sheriffs’ Association, the U.S. attorney for South Carolina from 2010 to 2016, and a former local police officer will testify in favor of legislation that would legalize medical cannabis.

At 2:30 p.m. ET today, Jeffrey Moore, Bill Nettles, and Raeford Davis will join leaders of Compassionate South Carolina outside the Gressette State Office Building (1101 Pendleton Street, Columbia) for a news conference in support of Senate Bill 212. The bill would allow patients with certain debilitating conditions to access medical cannabis if their doctors recommend it. They will then testify at the Senate Medical Affairs subcommittee hearing on SB 212, which is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. ET in Room 308.

Jeffrey Moore served 32 years as executive director of the South Carolina Sheriffs’ Association before retiring in 2014. Bill Nettles served as U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina from 2010-2016. Raeford Davis spent four years as a patrol officer and two years as a detective with the North Charleston Police Department. He left policing in 2007 after being injured in the line of duty.

Medical Professionals to Testify in Favor of Medical Cannabis Legalization at South Carolina Senate Hearing

March 7, 2017 by Anthony Martinelli

At 2pm ET tomorrow, a group of physicians, nurses, medical researchers, and other healthcare professionals will hold a news conference prior to testifying in favor of Senate Bill 212 to legalize medical cannabis.

A group of physicians, nurses, medical researchers, and other healthcare professionals will testify in favor of comprehensive medical cannabis legislation Wednesday during a South Carolina Senate Medical Affairs subcommittee hearing. They will join leaders of Compassionate South Carolina for a pre-hearing news conference at 2 p.m. ET outside the L. Marion Gressette State Office Building.

Senate Bill 212, sponsored by Senator Tom Davis (R), would allow patients with certain debilitating conditions to access medical cannabis if their doctors recommend it. The subcommittee hearing on the bill is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. ET in Room 308.

Companion Bills to Legalize Medical Cannabis Filed in South Carolina

January 11, 2017 by Anthony Martinelli

Companion bills to legalize medical cannabis have been filed in South Carolina.

Senator Tom Davis and Representatives Peter McCoy held a press conference this morning to formally introduce the companions bills that have been filed simultaneously in the state’s House and Senate.

If approved into law, the South Carolina Compassionate Care Act would allow those with a recommendation from a physician to possess and use cannabis and cannabis products, given they have a qualifying condition.

Qualifying conditions include; glaucoma, cancer, hepatitis C, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Crohn’s disease; HIV/AIDs, ulcerative colitis, agitation of Alzheimer’s disease, PTSD, autism, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; Parkinson’s disease and neural-tube defects.

South Carolina Bills Filed to Legalize Medical Marijuana

December 28, 2016 by Anthony Martinelli

By Tenth Amendment Center

Two South Carolina House bills slated for introduction in 2017 would legalize medical marijuana for qualifying patients in the state.

Pre-filed by Rep. Todd Rutherford (D-Columbia), House Bill 3128 (H.3128) would allow qualifying medical patients the ability to possess “up to two ounces of a usable form of marijuana” as well as grow “up to six marijuana plants, with three or fewer being mature, flowering plants that are producing a usable form of marijuana” without being persecuted by state-level officials.

Patients would be eligible to qualify for medical marijuana if they suffer from one of the following ailments listed in H.3128:

Bernie Sanders Wins New Hampshire Primary

February 10, 2016February 9, 2016 by Anthony Martinelli

Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has won the Democratic primary in New Hampshire, beating rival Hillary Clinton by double digits (60% to 38%), according to the Associated Press. The win comes a week after Sanders narrowly lost to Clinton in Iowa (49.6% to 49.8%), and just days after new polling found the two to be tied nationally.

The next Democratic primary is in Nevada on February 20th, followed by South Carolina on February 27th. This will be followed by “Super Tuesday” on March 1st, which will see nearly a dozen states – including Vermont, Georgia and Massachusetts – voting on the same day.