Virginia’s lawmakers passed a bill which will allow for the eventual production and distribution of low THC marijuana oils in the Commonwealth. After lengthy discussions and negotiations in both houses, SB701, Cannabidiol oil and THC-A oil; permitting of pharmaceutical processors to manufacture and provide, passed the House of Delegates unanimously on Monday. The bill returned to the Senate Tuesday with amendments and passed with a vote of 39-0. The bill now goes to the Governor’s desk for his signature.
“Providing this medication to Virginians is absolutely the right thing to do,” said Senator Dave Marsden, the sponsor of the legislation.“THCa and CBD oils have shown the ability to help alleviate the number and severity of seizures from intractable epilepsy and help so many families live a quality life. This is a huge step for Virginia, a first in the nation concept that will provide the medications in the safest most secure fashion and shows once again that Virginia leads the way.”
Last year’s passage of SB1235 and HB1445 gave intractable epilepsy patients and their caregivers an affirmative defense for possession of two marijuana oils, THCa and CBD used to treat seizures.
However, the law provides no way for patients to obtain the oils without breaking federal and state laws. This legislation seeks to create a way to process and provide THCa and CBD Oils for patients with intractable epilepsy by requiring the Board of Pharmacy to create regulations to safely and securely provide the oils. Once the Board of Pharmacy creates the regulations they will be brought back before the legislature next year for final approval. Processing and distribution of the oils would not begin until sometime in 2017.
