By Taylor Stuck, The Herald-Dispatch
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — While new research shows most Americans support cannabis legalization, the West Virginia Legislature defeated bills this year to improve the medical cannabis program.
The West Virginia Senate passed two bills aimed at improving the program, which passed four years ago but has yet to provide any relief to patients. Neither bill passed the House, which has more staunchly anti-cannabis members than the Senate.
Senate Bill 231 amended several sections of the Medical Cannabis Act, reducing fees for patients and adding to the list of approved conditions to receive a medical card.
Sen. Charles Trump, R-Morgan, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said the bill was similar to bills passed by the Senate for the past three years and puts back language initially included in the Medical Cannabis Act when it passed the Senate in 2017.
New conditions included in the bill included migraine, HIV, autism and anorexia, and it permitted the commissioner of the Office of Medical Cannabis to offer suggestions for new conditions to the advisory board…