Medical Marijuana Oil Bill Overwhelmingly Passes SC House of Reps

A bill proposing to legalize the use of a specific oil derived from medical marijuana passed the South Carolina House of Representatives with an overwhelmingly large vote on Wednesday, April 2nd.

The South Carolina Senate passed its own version of medical marijuana legislation last week, pending the approval of federal testing to justify prescriptions for the drug.

The House’s version of the bill proposes to approve the use of a derivative from marijuana called cannabidol or CBD, a chemical compound that can be derived from marijuana as an oil and used to alleviate symptoms of some neurological disorders such as epilepsy. CBD is believed to have therapeutic effects, while THC, another prominent chemical in marijuana, is responsible for the “high” or euphoric feeling sought out by recreational users.

The medical marijuana bill passed by the House was inspired by the story of Mary Louise Swing, whose severe epilepsy was effectively treated with Charlotte’s Web. The six-year-old could have as many as 100 seizures in an hour, and, while not life-threatening, they prevented her from learning to walk or talk, and led to injuries like a busted lip and broken teeth. Prescribed medications barely made a dent. However, her desperate parents tried cannabidiol, and for the first time, Mary Louise’s seizures stopped. She was able to talk and walk with minimal assistance.

Mary Louise’s mother, Jill, said that passing the medical marijuana legislation was a huge relief for her, because it meant she would not have to move her family to Colorado just to get necessary medical treatment for her daughter.

“This is what parents need,” said Rep. Jenny Horne, R-Summerville, the House bill’s main sponsor. The Senate version “is too restrictive because, in reality, it’s nearly impossible to get into a clinical trial. … This can be a miracle drug. It’s the right thing to do.”

Recently, the FDA granted orphan drug status for Epidiolex, which is a liquid form of CBD taken orally. The drug is approved specifically for rare childhood forms of epilepsy – the condition that Mary Louise suffers from. Research on Epidiolex’s effectiveness is being conducted in New York and California.

The FDA’s status change for Epidiolex allows research into medical marijuana and other controversial treatments to aid rare diseases.

“This is a bill whose time has simply come. Stop the suffering that people endure on a regular basis because we have an antiquated notion that something that grows out of the ground must be eradicated by the government,” said House Minority Leader Tom Rutherford, D-Columbia. Rutherford is responsible for previous medical marijuana legislation that did not pass. He also proposed a new bill, called the “Put Patients First Act,” that would allow medical marijuana prescriptions for chronic illnesses with associated pain such as cancer, glaucoma, HIV or AIDS, cachexia, epilepsy, and multiple schlerosis.

Although some forms of medical marijuana use are becoming accepted and slowly legalized in South Carolina, currently, any form of marijuana use is illegal, and recreational use is only legal in Washington state and Colorado.

If You Face Marijuana Charges, Including for Medical Marijuana Use, The Strom Law Firm Can Help

If you or a loved one have been found with medical marijuana, you could face criminal charges ranging from misdemeanor to felony, depending on how much marijuana was on your person, and what your intent was with the drug. The drug crimes attorneys at the Strom Law Firm can help. Do not let drug charges for medical marijuana hurt your reputation or your future aspirations. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your case. Contact us today for help. 803.252.4800