Kentucky Moving Closer to Legalizing Medical Cannabis

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]R[/dropcap]epublican lawmakers in Kentucky are becoming more and more supportive towards the legalization of medical cannabis. Sen. Dan Seum’s comment about choosing to smoke cannabis over taking opioid painkillers during his cancer treatment appears particularly positive.

Rep. Diane St. Onge of Fort Wright is sponsoring House Bill 136 with Republican Rep. Jason Nemes of Louisville and others. “It is time to allow doctors to have this option for their patients,” Nemes said.

It was a different scenario in Kentucky’s House Judiciary Committee last year when they voted down a similar medical cannabis bill despite the plant’s wide acceptance nationwide. But Nemes and St.Onge have reassured supporters that the new bill has taken all the previous concerns regarding regulation into consideration.

The bill does not specify any specific health condition and leaves that to the doctors to decide when and on what condition to prescribe cannabis to patients. “We’re trying to address the 40,000 to 60,000 Kentuckians who are not having symptoms addressed by conventional medicines,” St. Onge told The Courier-Journal. “Everything would be monitored and regulated.”

Under the bill, the state would issue licenses for medical cannabis cultivation, processing and dispensaries. In order to purchase medical cannabis legally, medical cannabis consumers would need to meet certain requirements as well as obtain a recommendation from a health practitioner registered to administer controlled substances. There would be limitations on the amount of cannabis consumer can purchase and penalties for illicit distribution of the drug, and  healthcare providers who recommend cannabis would also be tracked by the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure. Cities will have the right to vote to ban dispensaries from opening and qualified cardholders would be able to grow up to six mature cannabis plants. Additionally, law enforcement would be authorized to keep track of the licenses.

Advertising or public consumption of cannabis will not be allowed under the new bill. Recent felons will be prohibited to participate in the program  and all licenses would be handled by the Alcoholic Beverage Control agency.

Ohio, West Virginia, Illinois and Missouri have recently legalized medicinal cannabis, along with other countries including Canada.