A North Carolina Senate committee approved a bill to legalize medical marijuana on Tuesday—days after a top House lawmaker said his chamber is positioned to enact the reform this session after blocking similar legislation last year.
The Senate Judiciary Committee, which held an initial hearing on the cannabis legislation from Sen. Bill Rabon (R) last week, advanced it in a voice vote. It also adopted several amendments.
The measure, which will have two more Senate panel stops before potentially heading to the floor, would allow patients with qualifying conditions such as cancer, epilepsy, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and multiple sclerosis to possess and purchase cannabis from licensed dispensaries.
“The intent of this bill is to only make changes to existing state law that are necessary to protect patients and their doctors from criminal and civil penalties, and would not intend to change criminal and civil law for use of non-medical marijuana,” Rabon said ahead of the committee vote.
Before approving the bill, members adopted a number of amendments, including one aimed at increasing law enforcement’s real-time access to data and to provide greater clarity on information required to be shared with police by medical cannabis patients.
Other approved changes add
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