Lawmakers cleared a key hurdle Wednesday to free millions of dollars in the state’s medical marijuana fund.
In October, Mountain State Spotlight reported $34 million collected from fees and taxes from the medical marijuana program. The Treasurer’s Office said the money could not be spent due to the legal status of marijuana on the federal level, despite dozens of states already doing so.
Del. Evan Worrell, R-Cabell, introduced a bill to spend the money. Lawmakers in the House of Delegates passed the bill 79-12 March 4, the last day for bills to leave their chamber of origin during the session.
But before delegates took their vote, they took time to carve up what is now estimated to be nearly $38 million.
Del. Michael Hite, R-Berkeley, successfully amended the bill to include $10 million each to West Virginia University and Marshall University for research into ibogaine, a hallucinogenic drug that is used in other countries to help people get through withdrawal.
Earlier in the session, the House of Delegates unanimously passed a bill approving FDA trials on the drug in the state.
Proponents of the amendment argued it was a case of the Legislature backing up a program with funding. But critics questioned the safety of ibogaine —which can cause cardiac arrest — or if the state should put it into pharmaceutical research.
The measure passed 47-46.
Worrell also amended the bill to put $5 million toward homeless services, stating he wanted to help that population after he supported passage of a public camping ban that effectively criminalizes unhoused people.
That passed 59-34.
Moving forward, the monies will go to Marshall University for research into marijuana WVU for substance disorder research, the Fight Substance Abuse Fund and grants for local law enforcement.
Sen. Mike Woelfel, D-Cabell, said he was satisfied with how the money would initially be distributed under the original law passed in 2017.
“I felt like we had a pretty good balance before, when we passed the bill that I wrote, so I’ll be anxious to look at those changes,” Woelfel said. “I don’t want to waste the money on something not dedicated to cannabis.”