Bill legalizing medical marijuana in Kentucky passes out of Senate committee

FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — A invoice that might make medical marijuana authorized in Kentucky, has handed out of a Senate committee.

Senate Invoice 47 handed out of a committee in an 8-3 vote. If signed into legislation, the invoice will give Kentucky residents entry to medical marijuana if their docs imagine it may very well be useful to them.

The next diagnoses are coated beneath SB 47:

• Any sort or type of most cancers whatever the stage.
• Continual, extreme, intractable, or debilitating ache.
• Epilepsy or every other intractable seizure dysfunction.
• A number of sclerosis, muscle spasms, or spasticity.
• Continual nausea or cyclical vomiting syndrome that has confirmed immune to different typical medical therapies.
• Publish-traumatic stress dysfunction.
• Some other medical situation or illness for which the Kentucky Middle for Hashish established in KRS 164.983, or its successor, determines that adequate scientific knowledge and proof exists to display that a person recognized with that situation or illness is prone to obtain medical, therapeutic, or palliative advantages from the usage of medicinal hashish.

The Kentucky Home has handed medical marijuana earlier than, however the invoice has at all times died within the Senate, so this was an enormous step on the Capitol on Tuesday.

Sen. Steve West, the principle sponsor of SB 47, offered the invoice with medical marijuana supporters. He referred to as this course of “a protracted highway.”

“A constituent approached me a number of years in the past with a private story relating to medicinal marijuana, piquing my curiosity and starting the method of crafting this piece of laws,” West mentioned.
“I’m a proponent of this concern, not for private causes, however as a result of via in depth analysis, I genuinely really feel that medical hashish is inherently protected. On this concern, I imagine Kentuckians deserve as many protected choices for his or her medical care and remedy as potential.”

Senate Invoice 47 lists particular illnesses that qualify for medical hashish and units up a strategy to regulate medical hashish via the Cupboard for Well being and Household Companies. The invoice additionally contains tips for legislation enforcement, together with how it may be transported for individuals who qualify.

“SB 47 establishes rights for employers, civil rights for fogeys and custodians of minors, and parameters involving rights inside training and the way a affected person should acquire eligibility and purchase a medical card,” in line with a information launch by the Legislative Analysis Fee.

The invoice additionally lays out the requirements for establishing a dispensary, making use of for a enterprise license, and acquiring it for distribution. Medicinal marijuana is not going to be taxed, however there will likely be charges levied on producers and dispensaries, in line with the invoice. Kentucky farmers may even profit, as all medical marijuana bought within the commonwealth have to be grown within the commonwealth.

Eric Crawford, one of many largest medical marijuana legalization advocates in Kentucky, instructed lawmakers Tuesday it is time to cross this invoice.

He says medical marijuana helps him really feel higher. He says he’s uninterested in being a legal for taking one thing that helps ease his ache.

Opponents say legalizing medical marijuana might have unintended penalties. In addition they fear it will set Kentucky on the trail towards the leisure legalization of marijuana.

However when it got here to the vote, Sen. Damon Thayer, one of many largest medical marijuana opponents, voted sure. Some supporters broke out into tears of happiness after his vote.

“I really feel like a bit of child within the sweet retailer,” mentioned CJ Carter, Kentucky State Director of Minorities for Medical Marijuana. “This was an incredible day. Nice day for the residents. Nice day for sufferers. It’s an incredible day in Kentucky historical past. It’s an incredible day for the Commonwealth.”

“SB 47 is the product of plenty of analysis, many discussions, and punctiliously contemplating all sides of the problem,” Senate President Robert Stivers mentioned. “The legislative course of is at work. Whereas I’ve expressed my considerations with the invoice, I acknowledge the need of many Kentuckians to have this as a medicinal remedy choice and the legislative course of will play out because it was meant.”

The complete Senate should vote on the measure earlier than it heads to the Home. As a result of it does not have sufficient readings, the earliest it may cross within the Senate is Thursday, however supporters within the Home say if that occurs, they’ve already confirmed they may vote sure on the measure as effectively.

If the invoice heads to Gov. Andy Beshear’s desk, he’ll doubtless signal it into legislation. The governor beforehand signed two govt orders related to medical marijuana in Kentucky. This contains permitting sure Kentuckians to make use of medical marijuana that was bought in a state the place it’s authorized.

The measure will take impact on January 1, 2025, if signed into legislation. Based on the invoice, this would supply sufficient time for the Kentucky Middle for Hashish to finish its research.