Kentucky lawmakers have introduced new legislation in the House that calls for more medical cannabis research, days after the full House approved legislation to legalize medical cannabis in the state.
The bill, backed by opponents of medical cannabis legalization, has cleared a Senate panel in a unanimous vote, according to a WKYT report.
The legislation says too many unknowns still exist regarding cannabis and its medical uses, and that more study is necessary before Kentucky launches a medical cannabis program, the news outlet reported.
The legislation now advances to the full Senate for consideration.
The medical cannabis legalization bill, H.B. 136, passed the Kentucky House Feb. 20 and will also proceed to the Senate for consideration.
“Patients in Kentucky shouldn’t have to continue waiting for safe, legal access to cannabis,” Matt Simon, a legislative analyst for the Marijuana Policy Project, said in a public statement. “This legislation is critical for Kentuckians who are desperate for alternatives to opioids and other potentially dangerous prescription drugs. The House should be applauded for passing this bill. Now it’s time for the Senate to do the right thing for patients and pass H.B. 136."
