On Thursday, the Kentucky House of Representatives voted in favor of medical marijuana (66-33). The vote was on SB 47, a bill that would legalize medical cannabis for patients with debilitating conditions. This marks the third time the full House has voted on the issue, and the third time that it passed.
Earlier this month, the Kentucky Senate passed SB 47 in a historic 26-11 vote. The bill goes to Governor Andy Beshear’s desk. Observers expect the governor to sign it into law. A summary of the bill is available here.
“For years, patients have fought long and hard to urge the legislature to pass a bill that would alleviate their suffering, and with this latest vote, Kentucky is finally on the brink of becoming the next state to legalize medical cannabis,” said Kevin Caldwell, Southeast legislative manager at the Marijuana Policy Project. “It is a vital step forward toward meeting the needs of patients in Kentucky.”
A February 2020 Kentucky Health Issues poll found that an overwhelming 90% of Kentuckians support medical cannabis.
Thirty-seven states — including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi — have laws providing the framework for patients with debilitating medical conditions to have access to regulated cannabis products under a doctor’s care.
