South Dakota Considers Increasing Medical Cannabis THC Caps

South Dakota officials are considering allowing 10% more THC in medical cannabis products and larger-sized containers as part of proposed changes to the state’s medical cannabis program, KELO reports. The changes also include rules prohibiting medical cannabis products from being manufactured with unadulterated cannabis and requiring rolling papers used for prerolls to be tested by state-approved laboratories.

During a hearing by the Legislature’s Rules Review Committee, Jeremiah Murphy, representing the Cannabis Industry Association of South Dakota, said that while he agreed that some additives are harmful and should be banned under the medical cannabis program, other additives can be either beneficial or dangerous depending upon the product that they are in. He suggested that the agency should develop a more detailed list of adulterants rather than outlawing them in a general rule.

Murphy also told the panel that a proposed testing requirement for rolling papers would be costly for manufacturers and the higher prices would be economically uncompetitive. He added that patients could still buy rolling papers and cannabis from dispensaries to roll their own, which wouldn’t be subject to state-required testing. He suggested that officials should instead develop a list of pre-approved rolling papers that manufacturers could use.

The Department of Health is accepting public comments on the proposal through October 9.