RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) 鈥� North Carolina got a step closer to legalizing medical marijuana on Thursday when the state Senate gave it its initial approval.
The Senate approved a measure legalizing medical marijuana in its first of two votes, 33-9, with nine Republicans breaking from the rest of the party to oppose it. If approved a second time, the bill will go to the state House, which has to legalize the .
Medical cannabis products in 38 states and the District of Columbia, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. More than 20 states recreationally, too.
Legalizing medical marijuana for qualifying patients with a 鈥渄ebilitating medical condition鈥� was added to a bill on Wednesday that originally focused on creating further state regulations for federally legal hemp products. Those hemp products contain a concentration of less than 0.3% of THC concentration, the compound that gives marijuana its high.
Although the hemp regulations remain in the bill, Sen. Danny Britt, a Republican from Robeson County, said on the Senate floor that adding medical marijuana was necessary to 鈥済et out in front鈥� of an of marijuana from a Schedule I drug to a less dangerous Schedule III drug.
Sen. Bill Rabon, a Republican from Brunswick County who is one of the most vocal proponents of legalizing medical marijuana, said the bill would help sick and dying people in the state. Like in previous sessions, he recounted his own experience while undergoing chemotherapy for colon cancer.
鈥淲ith 18 months to live, I'm here 20 years later because I had a physician who told me to do this, and I did,鈥� Rabon told Senate colleagues.
The bill awaits its second senatorial vote on Monday. Rabon said the chamber might submit additional amendments after reviewing requests from the House.
The House hasn't clearly indicated if it would pass the bill.
House Speaker Tim Moore said Thursday that he supports legalizing medical marijuana through a , but has said repeatedly that it wouldn鈥檛 be considered because not enough House Republicans back the idea.
Moore didn鈥檛 know whether combining the legalization with the hemp regulation provisions would persuade additional colleagues. He said he anticipated House Republicans would privately discuss the idea next week.
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Associated Press writer Gary D. Robertson contributed to this report.
Makiya Seminera, The Associated Press
