Kentucky Lawmaker Prefiles Medical Cannabis Bill
[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]K[/dropcap]entucky lawmakers have filed a bill that would effectively make medical cannabis legal in the state in 2020, if it is passed.
According to WLKY, the medical cannabis bill (which will become House Bill 136 in 2020 once it’s officially introduced into the legislative session) is already in process, as it was prefiled by Rep. Jason Nemes.
If the bill passes, medical cannabis would be regulated by the Department for Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Control. The department would provide the official licenses for cultivators, dispensaries, safety facilities, processors, practitioners, and patients, essentially anyone who wants to be involved with the plant.
Under this bill, smoking cannabis wouldn’t be permitted, but other forms on consumption could be allowed under prescription for medical purposes, including edibles, oils, and pills. So far, the plan is for a 12 percent excise tax to be applied to all cannabis products.
This isn’t the first time the bill has been up for vote. This past year, it received a 16-1 vote in the Judiciary Committee and at the end of the session, more than 60 representatives committed to vote for the medical cannabis bill if it came to the House floor during the 2020 legislative session.
Nemes hopes that those in favor of legalizing cannabis will go ahead and reach out to support their position in order for it to pass this coming year.
“Let’s fight for what we know is right. Let’s fight for thousands of Kentuckians who will benefit from medical marijuana. If you are with us, do your part,” he wrote in a social post according to WLKY.
Kentucky has recently been moving to catch up with other states in the cannabis realm. Officials moved ahead with official permits for legal hemp, and a possible medical cannabis bill has been in the works for some time.
