SB 579 – The Catherine A. Zanga Medical Marijuana Bill
Primary Sponsor: Sen. Joel Ford (D – Mecklenburg)
This bill is named for Catherine Ann Zanga of Charlotte, North Carolina, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012. She discussed with her husband, the possibility of using medical marijuana for controlling her increasing pain as she battled ovarian cancer. Mrs. Zanga died in 2014 at the age of 41 from complications of ovarian cancer. Her husband and family hope the General Assembly would consider passing this bill to help other patients with debilitating diseases or medical conditions.
The bill cites that 28 states have legalized the medical use of marijuana, and gives a list of findings for the reasoning behind the bill.
This bill would give immunity to physicians for recommending the medical use of cannabis or providing written certification for the medical use of cannabis.
This bill would also create the North Carolina Cannabis Research Program to study the efficacy and safety of administering cannabis as a part of medical treatment.
