South Carolina medical marijuana bill sees increased support from Senate

The battle to see medical marijuana legalized in South Carolina restarts with the beginning of a new legislative session in Columbia.

For roughly three to four years now, the SC Compassionate Care Act has passed through the SC Senate seeing support from members on the Medical Affairs Committee. This year, amid a pandemic and continued opioid overdose epidemic, the bill is seeing support from many high-profile senators.

“Ten years ago I would have said never, five years ago I would have said ‘yeah maybe ten years from now’, and last year I would have said, ‘ yeah I think we’re going to get it next year’,” said Georgetown County delegation chair Sen. Stephen Goldfinch Jr.

Goldfinch, Sen. Luke Rankin, Dick Harpootlian, Gerald Malloy, Sen. Katrina Shealy and Florence Finance Committee Chair Hugh Leatherman all put their names on the bill as sponsors joining the consistent proponents of the legislation; Sen. Tom Davis of Beaufort and Brad Hutto.

“The opioid crisis has really brought to light the idea to bring an alternative to opioids and legal heroin as I call it,” Goldfinch said.

It would bring an alternative to those dealing with chronic nerve pain like Veronica Tario in North Myrtle Beach. [Read more at ABC 4 News]