Medical marijuana took a step forward yesterday in The Kentucky
House of Representatives to becoming law. The House approved
the measure on a vote of 65-30 after more than two hours of debate and
consideration of 11 floor amendments. The bill’s chances for
passage in the state Senate are unclear and appear to be a long
shot. If the bill becomes law, Kentucky would be the 34th
state to legalize medical marijuana.
The bill would allow doctors to prescribe marijuana for a list of
conditions yet to be determined by a panel of 13 people — eight doctors, a
pharmacist and four public advocates. An amendment passed on the House floor
ensured that the list of conditions would include chronic pain, epilepsy,
multiple sclerosis and nausea or vomiting. Proponents of the
measure argue that All of those conditions have substantial or conclusive
evidence that they are effectively treated by marijuana.
The bill makes the Cabinet for Health and Family Services
responsible for regulating medicinal marijuana and requires that a minimum of
25 medicinal marijuana dispensaries be set up throughout the state. Under
current federal law, pharmacies are forbidden from selling medical marijuana.