Several key Republicans lawmakers in North Carolina are among the newest supporters of medical cannabis in the state. Earlier this spring, Democrats filed marijuana bills in the legislature identical to ones filed in previous years. Democrats do not have the power to pass any of these bills as they do not hold the majority. However, they continue to file these types of bills, showing their supporters the effort going into starting a conversation.
Senate Bill 711, also called the Compassionate Care Act, saw introduction this regular session. An influential GOP lawmaker, Senator Bill Rabon is sponsoring the measure. This sponsorship has pushed fellow Republicans to reevaluate their thinking on medical marijuana for cancer and PTSD patients. SB 711 has passed through the first of many hurdles, winning approval in a Senate committee vote.
If the Compassionate Care Act does become law, North Carolina will join the 37 other states in legalizing medical marijuana, most recently Alabama this past legislative session.
Key Republican Lawmakers
Senator Bill Rabon is the Senate Rules Committee chairman. This committee decides which bills make their way to the Senate floor for discussion. As a result, he is one of the most influential people in the legislature.
Rabon said he’s been pushing medical marijuana legalization behind the scenes since 2010. However, he finally made the jump this year to fully support legalization openly. He demonstrated his commitment to reform by publicly putting his name on the Compassionate Care Act.
“I may fall flat on my face, but I’m going to see it through,” Rabon told fellow lawmakers at the first committee hearing on SB 711. With Senator Rabon on board as a sponsor, fellow Republicans are reexamining their stance to medical marijuana.
Future
The Senate Majority Leader, Kathy Harrington, said her husband recently received a diagnosis of multiple myeloma. Researching this disease and hearing from her GOP colleagues about medical marijuana has changed her mind, she said.
“If you had asked me six months ago if I would support this bill, I would have said no,” Harrington said. “But life comes at you fast.”
“Some of us have a bridge we need to cross to get comfortable with this,” Sen. Paul Newton said. “… I’m really trying to keep an open mind.”
There seems to be a good chance that medical cannabis will come to North Carolina soon. Whether it comes this legislative session or the next remains to be seen. The North Carolina regular session ends July 30, 2021. The Senate and the House have until then to send SB 711 to the governor’s desk. If not, the measure will die and have to wait to be introduced next session beginning in 2022.
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