MORGANTOWN — The Senate Judiciary Committee approved another batch of improvements to the state’s medical cannabis program on Tuesday.
Many will regard the most significant update as an expansion of the delivery forms for cannabis.
Now, the forms are limited to pill, oil, topical, nebulization/vaporization, tincture, liquid or dermal patch.
The bill adds this: “A form approved by the commissioner upon a recommendation of the advisory board.” This could open it to dry leaf and smoking.
The 34-page bill makes a number of other updates. It adds ulcerative colitis and opioid use disorder to the list of eligible medical conditions that can be certified for medical cannabis use.
Current law allows terminal cancer patients to obtain medical cannabis from other states with compatible laws. This is called reciprocity and the bill expands reciprocity to all medical cannabis patients.
The bill specifies that employees of cannabis growers, producers and dispensers must be at least 18 and must obtain a license for $25.
It removes a continuing education requirement for physicians, since they will just be certifying patients and not prescribing medical cannabis.
It also expands the research field. Current law allows only universities to perform research. The bill adds accredited colleges and medicals schools.
Sen. Nike Woelfel, D-Cabell, said he co-drafted the legislation several years ago, thinking the program would already be in action. The original bill was a “rough piece of coal,” he said. While it’s not a diamond yet, this bill makes the law much better and he appreciates the ongoing work.
It passed in a unanimous voice vote – the committee includes some who’ve opposed the program all along and it was unclear if all voted – and goes to the full Senate.
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