Bill > S0423

This bill, the Compassionate Care Act, amends South Carolina laws to enact a medical cannabis program. The key provisions of the bill are: It establishes the "South Carolina Compassionate Care Act" to provide for the sale and conditions of medical cannabis products. It adds new definitions and regulations for medical cannabis establishments like cultivation centers, processing facilities, therapeutic cannabis pharmacies, and independent testing laboratories. It creates a Medical Cannabis Advisory Board to review petitions to add or remove qualifying medical conditions. The bill sets standards for physicians, pharmacists, and caregivers involved in the program. It establishes a registry identification card system for qualifying patients and caregivers, and a secure web-based verification system to track cannabis products. The bill also includes provisions related to employment, housing, parental rights, and other legal protections for cardholders. The Department of Health and Environmental Control is tasked with implementing and regulating the program, with oversight from the Board of Pharmacy. The bill caps the number of certain medical cannabis establishment licenses that can be issued. It also includes requirements for handling, testing, labeling, and destroying cannabis products. The bill is set to sunset five years after first sales, with the department required to survey stakeholders and provide a report to the legislature on whether to re-enact the program.

Health and Social Services

https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=0423&session=125&summary=B