Kentucky House Advances Medical Marijuana Legalization Bill, With Vote On Final Passage Expected Thursday

Cannabis News World

Mar 30

Kentucky House Advances Medical Marijuana Legalization Bill, With Vote On Final Passage Expected Thursday
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A Senate-passed bill to legalize medical marijuana in Kentucky moved closer to being enacted into law following a procedural step in the House of Representatives on Wednesday. The House advanced the measure from Sen. Stephen West (R) on second reading one day before the end of the legislative session. It must clear the House Licensing, Occupations & Administrative Regulations Committee on Thursday morning before an expected final vote in the full chamber later in the day—which will send the legislation to the governor's desk. Gov. Andy Beshear (D) has strongly advocated for the reform, rallying citizens to pressure their state representatives to pass the bill this week. Advocates are optimistic about its prospects given that the House has advanced similar measures in past sessions, only to have them stall in the Senate. Things are different this year, however, now that the other body has taken the lead in advancing the issue. West, the Senate bill sponsor, said earlier this month that he's "now convinced that medical marijuana, provided to our citizens through a tightly-regulated system, can provide some important relief to our constituents." "It's time for Kentucky to join the other 37 states in the United States that allow medical marijuana as an option for their citizens," he said. Here's what SB 47 would accomplish as amended: Patients with recommendations from doctors or advanced nurse practitioners could qualify to use cannabis if they have cancer, severe pain, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, muscle spasms or spasticity, chronic nausea or cyclical vomiting, post-traumatic stress disorder or any other medical condition or disease which the Kentucky Center for Cannabis deems appropriate. Smoking marijuana would be prohibited, but patients could still access raw cannabis for vaporization. Home cultivation would not be allowed. Patients could possess a 30-day supply of cannabis in their residence and a 10-day supply…