Controversial tactic: Senate ties medical marijuana to unrelated bill | Eastern NC Now

By L.A. Williams
Christian Action League
July 5, 2023

Senate lawmakers’ intent on legalizing medical marijuana via Senate Bill 3 this session are holding a totally unrelated measure (House Bill 75) hostage until they get their way.

On June 28, the Senate voted 36-8 to amend House Bill 75, a popular proposal to expand the role of physician assistants, by making it go into effect if and when the medical marijuana bill becomes law. The amendment was floated by Sen. Bill Rabon (R-Brunswick), chair of the powerful Senate Rules Committee and a champion of the so-called Compassionate Care Act.

“I understand that Sen. Rabon has a personal connection to the medical marijuana issue as a cancer survivor. However, I believe the process he now uses undermines the integrity of the legislative process and sets a dangerous precedent,” said the Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League. “Any bill as significant as the legalization of medical marijuana should be thoroughly debated and considered purely on its own merits. Tying it to an unrelated bill creates an atmosphere of political gamesmanship. There is too much at stake for the people on both sides of this issue to be doing it this way.”

Creech was not alone in decrying Rabon’s ploy. Rep. Mike Clampitt (R-Jackson) told the media that he was “appalled” by it.

“It’s been very divisive in the House, and has been a very contentious topic,” Clampitt said of Senate Bill 3. “And then for the Senate to minimize all of that, and to make a joke out of it, it’s very embarrassing to me for our General Assembly.”

Approved by the Senate by a vote of 36-10 in March, SB3 would legalize pot for people with a range of debilitating or terminal illnesses and authorize 10 seed-to-sale suppliers across the state to pay licensing fees ($50,000 initially and $10,000 a year) among other costs for the privilege of selling the psychoactive drug. Rabon gave the House Health Subcommittee a personal endorsement of marijuana, which he said helped him survive the strong chemotherapy treatments that he endured during his battle with colon cancer. 

The bill stalled in the House for lack of majority support in the GOP caucus.

“Our rule is that a bill, to pass on the floor, must receive at least a majority of the members of the caucus on the House floor, and it’s just short of that right now, and that’s why it’s not being taken up,” House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) told the media. He said there’s not “sufficient appetite” for the bill and that he would not “twist arms” to get members to vote for it. 

Creech said Sen. Rabon’s arm-twisting maneuver “disrespects the legislative process and turns the question into a matter of leveraging power and not convincing the state’s Representatives that smoked marijuana is worthy of being treated as medicine.”

“The good Senator and many of his Senate colleagues should consider the broader implications of their actions. It is essential to prioritize the well-being of the citizens of North Carolina above personal priorities or political victories. By advancing legislation through fair and transparent means, we ultimately strengthen the public’s trust in elected officials and demonstrate our commitment to serving the people’s best interests,” Creech said. “What’s being done now does not contribute to an informed and compassionate discussion on this vital issue.”