Legislation legalizing medical marijuana in Kentucky is now in the hands of the Senate, where its fate is uncertain.
State Senator Whitney Westerfield of Christian County says he’d currently vote ‘no’ on House Bill 136 due to what he sees as drafting errors, but he has an open mind to the concept and believes those small issues could be worked out to his satisfaction.
Representative Myron Dossett voted in favor of the measure in the House Thursday and says he’d want as many options available as possible if he or his family had a serious health ailment where medical marijuana could help.
Representative Walker Thomas voted against the measure, saying that the issue of medical marijuana is still illegal at the federal level is concerning to him.
The bill would prohibit smoking of medicinal marijuana and possession or use of medical marijuana in specific public buildings. Users of the substance would have to be registered and possess a medical cannabis card. Cannabis businesses would have to be licensed.
Local governments and their citizens would have the authority to decide whether or not medical marijuana businesses can operate locally.
The legislation is likely to begin in the Senate Judiciary Committee, which Westerfield chairs.