Governor Andy Beshear’s Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee released its full report, which showed 98.4% of Kentuckians backed the reforms with just 1.36% opposed.
In an online poll conducted by the committee, the overwhelming majority of respondents backed medical cannabis reforms. The poll was conducted in conjunction with a series of Town Hall meetings by the committee from July 6 through 25.
Governor Steve Beshear announced that he plans to legalize medical cannabis in the state of Kentucky through executive action. This comes after the passage of medical cannabis reforms was blocked by Republicans in the state Senate during the last legislative session. Beshear said that he plans to look for options to legalize medical cannabis in Kentucky via executive action and formed two committees to help with this effort.
The report recommends that the state create a comprehensive medical cannabis program, which would allow for the use of medical cannabis to treat a variety of conditions. The program would be regulated by the Kentucky Department of Health Services and would include strict eligibility requirements, patient protections, and product labeling requirements.
The committee’s findings come after years of advocacy from patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals who believe that medical cannabis could help address Kentucky’s opioid crisis. A growing number of states have legalized medical cannabis in some form, and a majority of Americans now support its legalization.
The report from the committee includes stories from attendees, ranging from parents with chronically ill children who have been helped with cannabis, to physicians who back the reforms.
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