GOP-Led North Carolina Senate Passes Bill Legalizing Medical Marijuana, Dividing Conservative Senators
The GOP-dominated North Carolina Senate passed legislation Monday evening to legalize medical marijuana while imposing stringent controls on hemp-derived products. The bill, passed on a 36-10 vote. The Republican Party controls both chambers of the state legislature.
Republican state Senator Tom McInnis voiced concerns that the bill could potentially end up allowing medical marijuana to treat all manner of conditions and ultimately open the door to legalizing recreational marijuana.
“Any condition, ladies and gentlemen, is fair game for treatment under this bill as it is written. Paralysis, gonorrhea, broken heart, anything that that group says is going to be okay,” said McInnis, reported NC Newsline.
The bill, sponsored by state Sen Bill Rabon (R) countered with an amendment that would prevent marijuana from becoming legal for recreational use without express approval from the North Carolina General Assembly, should it be reclassified at the federal level. That amendment passed with a 26-20 vote despite concerns from some Democrats.