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Medical cannabis bill filed in Kentucky Senate

Leafly

A Senate bill to legalize the use of medical cannabis in Kentucky has been filed.

Senate Bill 92 would make the recommendation of medical marijuana use by a practitioner, as well as the acquisition, cultivation, blending, delivery, distribution, manufacturing, manipulation, packaging for sale, preparation, possession, sale, testing, transportation, and transfer of it, legal.

Patients receiving medical cannabis would be issued a card stating they are allowed to do so at the recommendation of a physician.

Kentucky Sen. Steve West filed the bill.

Mason County residents Eric and Michelle Crawford, who have been lobbying to get the bill passed for several years, said they are pleased to see West once again signing on to sponsor the bill.

“We are so very grateful to Senator Steve West for filing SB92 the companion medical cannabis bill,” the couple posted on their Facebook page. “He has sponsored medical cannabis in the Senate for several years and absolutely knows that it helps many sick Kentuckians. We are grateful to work with him on this issue.”

House Bill 136 which would also legalize the use was filed in early January.

Newly-elected State Rep. William Lawrence has signed on as a co-sponsor for the house bill.

He said he supported the bill because not only will it help those who need medical cannabis, but it will also create jobs for farmers in the area.

“I feel there is a great medicinal benefit,” he said. “I’ve talked with several people and believe it will be beneficial for those who are struggling. It will also create a new revenue stream for farmers in our area who choose to grow it.”

The Crawfords have fought for a long time to see medical cannabis legalized.

Eric Crawford is a quadriplegic who also suffers from glaucoma. He has said in the past that his doctor has recommended medical cannabis as the only truly effective drug to treat his condition.

“We feel thankful and extremely grateful that the bill is being introduced,” Eric Crawford said. “We have to keep on fighting and remain hopeful. This is a short session and we understand there are many pressing important issues but legal medical cannabis is imperative to many sick people across Kentucky. It overwhelmingly passed the House last session and due to COVID it was halted in the Senate. We’ve suffered long enough.”

The Ledger Independent is online at: http://maysville-online.com