The sponsor of a invoice that’d legalize medical marijuana says he has the votes wanted to go the measure, however worries it will not get referred to as for a vote within the Senate.
FRANKFORT, Ky. — Medical marijuana legalization is one problem that can doubtless be up for debate this legislative session in Kentucky.
Rep. Jason Nemes, R-Louisville, is sponsoring House Bill 136, which might create a medicinal hashish program in Kentucky for sure medical circumstances.
In accordance with the invoice, the record of qualifying circumstances must embrace:
- Any kind or type of most cancers no matter stage
- Continual, extreme, intractable or debilitating ache
- Epilepsy or some other intractable seizure dysfunction
- A number of sclerosis, muscle spasms, or spasticity
- Nausea or vomiting
This system could be overseen by a brand new Division of Medicinal Hashish, which might be a part of the Kentucky Division for Public Well being.
Nemes stated he has the assist wanted for the measure to go out of the Home.
“The entire ballgame clearly, once more, is within the Senate,” Nemes stated. “I believe we’ve got a robust majority within the Senate that may assist it. I am attempting to persuade the senators to really name it for a vote.”
Whether it is referred to as within the Senate, Nemes stated he feels he has the assist wanted for it to go primarily based on conversations he is had with senators.
“Too early to inform how promising it’s, though I am optimistic,” Nemes stated. “I am working as exhausting as I can, assembly with senators to attempt to get extra on board, however the principle factor is we have to get a vote. If it is referred to as for a vote, it’ll go.”
On Jan. 3, Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, advised WHAS11’s political reporter Rachel Droze he stays open to discussing the problem however personally has issues about advancing laws.
Stivers stated has seen research concerning the therapeutic advantages of medicinal marijuana, however stated those he’s seen have had small pattern sizes or have been performed over a brief time frame.
“This isn’t a drug that is a panacea to treatment every little thing, but when there have been extra research and the FDA or John Hopkins or any person like that may come out and present the way it ought to be used for medicinal and therapeutic values, then I believe it might be a better path ahead,” Stivers stated.
Whereas showing on KET’s Kentucky Tonight on Jan. 10, Stivers was requested if he’d say no to the Senate voting on a medical hashish invoice if the Home sends one over.
Stivers did not straight reply the query however advised the host he has but to see a good company just like the FDA launch steering on the right way to safely use medical marijuana.
This is not the Kentucky Normal Meeting’s first try to legalize medicinal hashish.
In 2020, the Kentucky Home of Representatives handed a invoice that may have legalized leisure marijuana with a supermajority, however the measure stalled within the Senate.
The 2020 session was reduce quick as a result of pandemic, and lawmakers shortly shifted focus from social payments to spending payments so they might adjourn on the time the invoice initially handed the Home.
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