Medical Marijuana Oversight Committee clashes with industry advocates again over critical speakers

PIERRE — Supporters of South Dakota’s medical marijuana industry clashed with a state oversight committee Tuesday about speakers invited to address the group.

The Medical Marijuana Oversight Committee is led by state lawmakers and also includes representatives of healthcare professions, a medical marijuana patient and law enforcement.

Ned Horsted, who operates 605 Cannabis in southeastern South Dakota, told the committee he was frustrated by the choice of speakers invited to make presentations Tuesday. They included a Harvard professor and Colorado doctor who opposed the federal government’s recent downgrading of medicinal marijuana to a less dangerous class of drugs, and a founder of a nonprofit that says it’s “taking on Big Marijuana.”

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Similar clashes have occurred at past committee meetings. During this year’s legislative session, the state House approved a bill that would have eliminated the committee, but the bill failed in the state Senate.

Horsted referenced some of that history in his comments Tuesday.

“You’ve done quite the job once again in stacking the committee with anti-cannabis individuals from out of state,” said Horsted. “The agendas produced by this committee show evidence of a two-year war on patients, industry and, at times, the Department of Health.”

Rep. Josephine Garcia, R-Watertown, chairs the committee alongside co-chair Sen. John Carley, R-Piedmont. Both lawmakers lost their primary races in June.

Garcia, who has co-sponsored unsuccessful legislation to repeal medical marijuana, said Tuesday she believes the committee has “done a very good job” in aligning with what state law requires of it, including recommending legislation regarding patient access to medical cannabis.

Meeting attendees, “whether they’re from here or not,” have helped the committee meet its goals regarding medical marijuana, Garcia said.

“The bottom line is the people of South Dakota want it, and we need to make it right, to where it’s safe,” she said. “We learn from our other states. We learn how to not make the same mistake.”

South Dakota’s medical marijuana program began in 2021 after voters authorized it in 2020. There are 20,040 patient cards issued in the state to people with qualifying medical conditions.