by Amy Wilding-Fox
With 75% of the country already on board with the legalization of marijuana, a handful of states remain steadfast against the idea, like Tennessee and Idaho. Kentucky, though, might finally be on the verge of changing its stance. Current polling shows 90% of Kentucky voters believe in legalizing marijuana for medical purposes. In March, a House bill that would have legalized medical cannabis and outlined the rules in doing so passed, but the Senate failed to approve it.
To further the conversation, current Kentucky governor Andy Beshear has created a panel that he has labeled Team Kentucky Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee. In response to the inaction, the governor stated that as much as he wished the Senate had taken care of this without his intervention, he is considering using his executive powers to make medical marijuana accessible in his state. The panel will hopefully assist him in legally creating access to medicinal marijuana for patients in his state with chronic pain and other serious issues without the assistance of Senate approval. The members consist of former law enforcement, criminal justice and cannabis advocates, health care providers and specialists, and opioid addiction counselors.
As part of their research, this panel is holding public forums and town halls in various regions of the commonwealth. Their purpose is to inform the panel of the general public’s stance and thoughts on medical marijuana, then report their findings directly to the Office of the Governor. The first meeting, held July 6, was in Pikeville, the second in Frankfort, with more meetings planned. The governor, aware that some are not able to make it to the public meetings, created a website to allow his constituents to tell them directly why the topic of medicinal marijuana is important to them personally without having to leave home.
If you are a Kentuckian interested in making your views known to Governor Beshear, or to find the schedule for upcoming public meetings, go to: medicalcannabis.ky.gov
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