Kentucky Lawmakers Approve Medical Marijuana Legalization Bill In Committee – Marijuana Moment

Kentucky Lawmakers Approve Medical Marijuana Legalization Bill In Committee – Marijuana Moment

A key Kentucky House committee on Thursday approved a bill to legalize medical marijuana in the state.

The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Jason Nemes (R), cleared the House Judiciary Committee in a 15-1 vote. Meanwhile, separate adult-use and medical legalization bills were filed by Democratic lawmakers last month.

Nemes filed a medical legalization bill in 2020 that soundly passed the House but later died in the Senate without a vote amid the early part of the coronavirus pandemic. He reintroduced the legislation for the 2021 session, but it did not advance.

In the months since, the lawmaker has worked to build support—and he recently earned the endorsement of Senate Judiciary Chairman Whitney Westerfield (R), who said he will back the House bill despite personal reservations about marijuana reform because he’s heard from constituents who stand to benefit from the treatment option.

“I think the debate is over with respect to whether or not medical cannabis helps people,” Nemes said at Thursday’s hearing. “I don’t think there’s anybody—even the staunchest opponents—that says that it doesn’t help some people. I think that debate is in the past.”

“This bill is no joke,” he continued. “This is a law enforcement-heavy, this is a medication-heavy bill. This is not a wink-wink nod-nod to get to recreational. I don’t want to slouch toward recreational.”

Nemes has continually expressed confidence that the reform legislation would advance through the legislature if only leadership had the “courage” to put it to a vote.

The bill, HB 136, introduced in January, would establish a relatively restrictive program, prohibiting both the home cultivation of marijuana and the smoking of cannabis flower. Whole-plant products would be allowed under the bill, but patients would be required to vaporize them.

The Judiciary Committee adopted a committee substitute prior to advancing the legislation, though it’s not immediately clear what changes were made from the original 138-page bill.


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Source: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/kentucky-lawmakers-approve-medical-marijuana-legalization-bill-in-committee/