No deal yet on THC drinks as SC lawmakers weigh compromise

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - South Carolina lawmakers have returned to the State House to negotiate how, or whether, to regulate THC‑infused beverages that are currently sold without age restrictions in gas stations and convenience stores across the state.

The drinks, made from hemp‑derived compounds, can produce effects similar to a marijuana high. While there is broad agreement among legislators that the current system is unacceptable, consensus on a replacement has proven difficult.

After failing to reach a deal during the regular legislative session, a six‑member conference committee made up of House and Senate lawmakers is now tasked with reconciling competing proposals.

Their first meeting ended without an agreement on Tuesday.

“The status quo is not acceptable,” said Rep. Weston Newton, a Republican and Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

Rep. Spencer Wetmore, a Democrat from Charleston, cautioned against rushing into a compromise simply to meet a deadline.

“I am concerned about passing something for the sake of passing it,” Wetmore said. “This is one of those times where getting it wrong feels like it’s really going to affect a lot of people.”

The House has advanced two options: a full ban on THC beverages or a prohibition on sales to anyone under 21.

The Senate, meanwhile, has proposed a tiered regulatory approach.

Under the Senate plan, low‑dose drinks containing five milligrams of THC or less would be kept behind the counter at retail stores. Beverages with up to 10 milligrams of THC — along with THC‑infused gummies — would only be sold in liquor stores. It also bans any products from containing more than 10 milligrams.

Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, a Republican from Edgefield, said he remains optimistic a deal can be reached before the deadline. If lawmakers fail to act, the unregulated market will stay as it is now.

“We don’t want to do nothing — we want to get there,” Massey said. “But each of us, House and the Senate, has to deliver an agreement that can get a majority vote out of each body. That’s the trick.”

Despite the lack of progress, one outcome appears increasingly clear: a full ban on THC beverages is unlikely.

Even though some Republican leaders in both chambers favor a ban, Massey said the votes are not there.

“If I thought I could get a ban, I would be pushing very hard for it,” Massey said. “But I don’t think we have the votes for that, and I think the votes we had on the floor are evidence of that.”

The conference committee is targeting June 10 to finalize an agreement, when all senators are scheduled to return to Columbia.

Other conference committees are also meeting this week as lawmakers work to finalize the state budget and unresolved policy issues before the legislative session concludes.

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