South Dakota lawmakers on Monday approved most of the state Department of Health rules for the state’s voter-approved medical cannabis program but rejected some proposals including limiting the amount of high-potency cannabis patients can possess, requirements that medical practitioners could write recommendations for patients that want to grow more than the three plants allowed under the law, and a defined list of qualifying conditions, the Associated Press reports.
The Legislature’s Rules Committee approved provisions that set a $75 application fee for medical cannabis ID cards—with a discounted fee of $20 for low incomes applicants—along with a licensing fee of $5,000 for any medical cannabis facility.
Republican Gov. Kristi Noem, who long opposed the reforms, said the approvals will help keep her administration on track to implementing the program.
“I commend the Department of Health for its hard work to streamline the process. South Dakota will continue to implement the best, most patient-focused medical cannabis program in the country.”—Noem, in a statement, via the AP
Secretary of Health Kim Malsam-Rysdon said she was “disappointed” that the committee rejected a defined list of qualifying conditions. When questioned by lawmakers about the proposed rule about highly potent concentrates, Malsam-Rysdon argued that concentrates have been “shown to be more addictive,” a claim that was rejected by lawmakers.
The Health Department can rework the rejected rules and resubmit them to lawmakers for reconsideration. The medical cannabis law requires officials to enact the rules by October 29 and be ready to issue patient ID cards by November 18.
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