If other South Carolina senators move to block a bill to legalize medical marijuana, its sponsor said on Tuesday that he would use his power to stop every other piece of legislation on the chamber’s calendar in protest.
“We’re going to get this bill passed,” Sen. Tom Davis (R), who filed the South Carolina Compassionate Care Act, said at a press conference with supporters. “And if there are some up on the Senate floor that are still in this reefer madness, drug war mentality and block and stand in the way of this bill, I will exercise my rights as a senator to respond in kind to every single other bill on this calendar.”
Sen. Greg Hembree (R) said on Monday that he intended to block the cannabis legislation, which is on the Senate calendar after clearing the Senate Medical Affairs Committee in a 9-5 vote last week, from proceeding further. If he uses his authority to stop consideration as a single senator, it would require a three-fifths majority of the chamber to move ahead on the bill.
Davis, at the press conference, said that federal prohibition was imposed under the Nixon administration in order to “punish” the president’s political enemies—but even so, the senator is singularly focused on lifting that prohibition for medical use. He has taken pains to argue that his measure is not a “slippery slope” to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes.
“We need to get this bill passed. I understand what South Carolinians want,” he said. “They want to empower doctors, they want to help patients, they do not want recreational use.”
The senator’s legislation would allow patients with qualifying conditions to possess and purchase up to two ounces of cannabis every two weeks.
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