Why do Kentucky Senators hate weed? Medical marijuana blocked at the state level by a senator, and it’s not Mitch McConnell

Kentucky Senator blocks Democrats’ marijuana legalization bill You’ve heard this a few times, but this time a new state senator steps up and down to block medical marijuana for Kentucky residents.

It appears that the only obstacle standing between Kentucky and Senate-approved medical cannabis legislation is none other than its Senate President, Robert Stivers (R). Sen. Stivers has been on the fence about cannabis legislation for a few months. He has yet to make a definitive statement on whether he will submit the medical cannabis bill to the Senate any time soon.

Kentucky is one of the few states without medical cannabis reform; In all previous attempts to pass this law, the Senate has been a stumbling block. Many stories this year will be about the legalization of cannabis for medicinal and perhaps recreational purposes.

Enough votes to pass the Senate

Rep. Jason Nemes, the sponsor of the recent medical cannabis bill, claims the legislation will undoubtedly pass the Senate. The initiative has many supporters in the Senate, and he’s still in talks with others to gather their support and votes. While it’s too early to say how promising the reception has been, Nemes is optimistic the bill will pass smoothly in the House and Senate.

The main problem is the failure of the Senate President to let the bill be debated and then voted on.

In an interview, Rep. Nemes said the Senate could influence or interfere with the legislative process to legalize cannabis for medicinal purposes. He mentioned that he and some other representatives, as well as supporting senators, are working to persuade the other senators to invite the measure to a vote instead of waiting for the Senate President. When it comes to voting, it will almost certainly pass a landslide.

The opposition of the Bill

In an interview, Senator Stivers expressed his concerns about medical cannabis legislation. He mentioned that he has always been willing to discuss the issues surrounding the decriminalization and legalization of cannabis. However, he worries that there are so many concerns and studies surrounding medicinal cannabis.

He explained that he didn’t think cannabis could be a panacea. Numerous studies on medicinal cannabis are being conducted at various institutions across the United States to prove the drug’s potential, but the state Senate President is not satisfied.

More studies and confirmation from federal agencies are needed, Stivers said. He listed John Hopkins and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as trusted agencies that need to come out and talk about the potential medicinal and therapeutic values ​​of cannabis plants.

In another interview a few days ago with Kentucky Tonight, the state senator refused to give any insight into when he would call for a vote on the medical cannabis measure. The House of Representatives has approved the bill in the past, and even if the House approved the bill today, it would not be called into the Senate unless Senator Stivers or a group of senators requested it.

The senator merely pointed out that he does not support the taxation of medical cannabis like some other constitutional states. He added that the road to medical cannabis legislation is not a clear path. There are also statistically significant indicators that suggest the drug could help in suppressing nausea, anorexia, and spasticity. However, he explains that there are also buzzwords in about 20 studies that suggest cannabis may impair brain development in young adults under the age of 25. Other risks include psychotic events from overuse of THC and exposure to 50% more carcinogens than tobacco products.

Legalization of medicinal cannabis

The proposed measure, House Bill 136, would legalize the use of medicinal cannabis for certain health conditions, particularly chronic diseases. It would also establish a medical cannabis program in the state overseen by the Kentucky Department of Public Health. The bill also proposes a new division under the department to handle the regulatory details.

Some of the medical conditions that would qualify a resident for cannabis prescriptions are epilepsy, chronic or severe pain, muscle spasms, nausea, cancer, fatigue, vomiting, multiple sclerosis, and any other form of intractable seizure disorder.

Nemes explained that the measure would only allow the use of edibles or pills. Smoking cannabis flowers is prohibited. In addition, manufacturers will be banned from using colorful packaging for the products as this could attract children. Most importantly, personal cultivation of marijuana is not legal for now.

Previous attempts to legalize medicinal cannabis

In February 2020, the Kentucky House voted unanimously to legalize medicinal cannabis. The bill marked an important point for cannabis reforms that had stalled for so long.

The bill, dubbed House Bill 136, passed after three hours of debate and nine minor amendments. Due to the pandemic (which was just beginning at this point), the bill failed to make it into the Senate as matters other than spending budgets were sidelined, not to mention the session was closed for a while during the lockdown.

At the time, the House of Representatives was also skeptical about forwarding the bill to the Senate. Senator Robert Stivers was one of the main opponents of the bill. He called for more research on the drug and fewer federal restrictions before changing his stance. According to Stivers, there needs to be a balancing test to determine whether medical cannabis legislation has more good than bad to offer.

John Sims and Nemes, both co-sponsors of the bill, were opposed by socially conservative lawmakers who believed the marijuana legislation was philosophically flawed. For them, the legal use of medicinal cannabis would spark a movement for legal recreational cannabis in the state.

bottom line

Medical marijuana has proven effective for a number of ailments, most notably pain and seizures. Legalizing medicinal cannabis in Kentucky would bring relief to hundreds of residents and, to some extent, improve the state’s economic situation.

The ball is in the Senate, and without a call for a vote from the Senate President, Kentucky could be left without a medicinal cannabis program. Federal medical cannabis reforms are about to take effect, so Kentucky’s best bet is to move forward in the game rather than remain on standby. At the same time, other states are pushing ahead with their cannabis reform projects.

KENTUCKY AND MARIJUANA, IT’S COMPLICATED..

HOW A KENTUCKY GOVERNOR GET EVERYTHING WRONG ABOUT MARIJUANA!

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WE ASKED THE GROWERS WHY KENTUCKY CANNABIS IS SO GOOD!