Supporters of legalizing medical marijuana in Kentucky got a breakthrough Tuesday when their bill passed a Senate committee backed by a key Republican leader after years of roadblocks.
Medical cannabis advocates applauded when Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer voted in favor of the bill after years of opposing marijuana legislation. Thayer approved of the bill’s narrow focus and said his support “is for people who are suffering.”
The measure — Senate Bill 47 — cleared the Senate Licensing and Professions Committee on an 8-3 vote. With a new burst of momentum, it heads to the full Senate, where legislative bills in past years have died without a committee hearing.
If it passes the Senate this time, the bill would need House approval in the final few days of this year’s 30-day legislative session. The House has passed similar versions in the past. Republicans have a majority in both houses.
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Frustrated by years of inaction, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear partially lifted the state’s ban on medical marijuana last year. Beshear’s act allows Kentuckians to possess medical cannabis for certain conditions, provided it has been legally purchased in other states. They need to keep their receipt for proof and require verification from a licensed health care provider to confirm their eligibility.
A bill now before the legislature would legalize and regulate medical marijuana.
Under the measure, medical cannabis could be prescribed for a list of conditions, including cancer, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, epilepsy, chronic nausea and post-traumatic stress disorder. A person must authorize the use of a card. A patient under the age of 18 could not possess or obtain medical cannabis without the assistance of a designated caregiver.
Notably, the bill would not go into effect until early 2025, to give state health officials time to develop regulations to oversee the program, said Republican Sen. Stephen West, lead sponsor of the bipartisan bill.
Marijuana plants show buds in the flowering stage at Mockingbird Cannabis’ indoor grow facility on January 20, 2023 in Raymond, Mississippi.
The Senate committee’s debate on Tuesday was reminiscent of past hearings on medical marijuana.
Opponents of the bill expressed sympathy for people with chronic pain and other ailments, but warned that cannabis use can become addictive and lead to other drug abuse.
“In the opinion of many, there is insufficient scientific evidence that marijuana is an effective pain-relieving agent,” said Michael Johnson with the Family Foundation.
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Eric Crawford, a campaigner to legalize medical cannabis, made the same pitch he’s made to Kentucky lawmakers for years. He said he uses medical marijuana as an alternative to opioids to deal with pain and muscle spasms from injuries sustained in a car accident decades ago.
“Cannabis helps me,” Crawford told the Senate committee. “I know what’s best for me. I don’t want to get high. I just want to feel better.”
