South Dakota Medical Marijuana Oversight Committee Faces Uncertain Future

The committee overseeing South Dakota’s medical marijuana program has, for now, survived a legislative attempt to dissolve it, but its long-term fate remains uncertain. A bill seeking to repeal the state law establishing the Medical Marijuana Oversight Committee was rejected by a 4-3 vote in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee earlier this week, but a procedural move could bring the measure to the full Senate floor for consideration next week.

Committee Structure and Responsibilities

Currently, South Dakota law mandates the Legislature’s Executive Board to appoint an 11-member committee. This committee is comprised of two state senators, two representatives, and seven non-legislative stakeholders representing diverse fields such as medicine, law enforcement, counseling, and at least one patient . The committee is required to convene at least twice annually, providing recommendations to both the Legislature and the state Department of Health.

House Vote and Opposition

The bill to dismantle the committee previously passed the House of Representatives with a vote of 41-26 . Representative Tim Goodwin (R-Rapid City) spearheaded the effort, arguing the committee was valuable during the program’s initial setup following voter approval in 2020, but has since develop into an unnecessary bureaucratic layer. Goodwin believes the Department of Health and the Legislature are capable of managing the program independently.

Concerns and Arguments for Retention

Opponents of the bill, including the South Dakota Catholic Conference, the South Dakota Sheriffs’ Association, and Representative Josephine Garcia (R-Watertown), the committee’s current chair, argue the oversight committee serves as a crucial public watchdog. Concerns were raised about potential mental health impacts associated with cannabis use, with Garcia stating, “We also have not determined, actually, the mental psychosis we’re now seeing, with cannabis use… Things that are being discussed are stress, anxiety, PTSD, which is not an indication for this type of cannabis use, and it has actually potentiated the mental psychosis.”

Program Statistics

As of March 8, 2026, South Dakota has 18,306 medical marijuana patient cardholders .

Future Outlook

Should the bill to eliminate the committee pass the full Senate, the medical marijuana program would continue under the sole regulation of the Department of Health. The outcome remains uncertain as lawmakers continue to debate the necessity and effectiveness of the oversight committee , .