The Kentucky government is considering executive branch action on medical cannabis for these types of patients

Through Nina Zdinjak

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is considering taking executive action to allow patients struggling with chronic pain and veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder access to medical marijuana. That is, if the General Assembly does not push the legislation.

Beshear reminded his Twitter followers that 90% of adult Kentucky residents support medical marijuana and that the team’s KY Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee will ensure every voice is heard.

Ninety percent of Kentucky adults support medicinal cannabis, and the Team KY Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee will help ensure that every voice is heard as I consider executive action, those suffering from chronic pain, or our veterans suffering from suffering from PTSD.1/2

— Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) July 24, 2022

The governor’s note comes ahead of a town hall meeting to be held by the KY Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee in Hopkinsville this week. The committee was established by Beshear’s executive order in June to establish a panel of experts to seek public opinion across the state on the issue of medical cannabis legislation.

“City Hall meetings will be open to the public for discussion and feedback from residents, local leaders, health care providers and stakeholders,” the statement said.

The committee is designed to advise the governor on providing access to medical cannabis for Kentucky residents struggling with a variety of medical conditions.

Photo by LanaStock/Getty Images

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“This is not about partisan politics,” said Kerry Harvey, Secretary of the Cabinet for Justice and Public Safety, at the time. “Again, at the very simplest level, this is about finding information that will help our governor make decisions that could result in alleviation of much of the pain and suffering of our fellow citizens.”

Commenting on Beshear’s note that 90% of Kentucky adults support the legalization of medical cannabis, State Representative Al Gentry (D-Jefferson County) confirmed that his polls reflect this, WKYT reported.

“This medical cannabis question is almost always in my poll and has had between 85 percent and 91 percent agreement over the past five years,” said Gentry, who is a co-sponsor of the legislation.

A Republican-led bill passed the House in its most recent session, but it never made it to Senate committee.

“I believe the intent of the Constitution was to put power in the hands of the people and there is no way you can exercise that unless you participate in the process,” Gentry said.

RELATED: Kentucky Marijuana Legalization Bill Goes to Senate After House Vote

A veteran who attended a recent town hall meeting said he hopes one day to be able to say he hasn’t broken the law in 50 years.

The committee noted that it will be hearing from both political parties on the issue, as some groups and lawmakers remain opposed to the reform. For example, during the past legislature, Senator Damon Thayer (R-Georgetown) expressed his opposition, and Senate President Robert Stivers (R-Manchester) noted that he would like to see more research in Kentucky on the subject.

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and has been republished with permission.