FRANKFORT, Ky. (WDRB) -- A bill legalizing and regulating medical marijuana easily passed the House last week, but its fate in the Senate still very much up in the air.
Two influential senators have come down on opposite sides of the issue.
Sen. Ralph Alvarado, who is also a physician, told WDRB News he cannot support medical marijuana until there is more research into its effects.
“People expect that if something is called medical that it's safe and the government has authorized it and it's been looked at and researched," Alvarado said. "But we just don't have that science yet."
Alvarado is chairman of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee, which unanimously approved a resolution calling on the federal government to conduct more research into the efficacy of marijuana.
Sen. Danny Carroll echoed Alvarado’s concern.
“If we're going to use a medicine, the medicine needs to be tested," he said. "It's as simple as that."
Medical marijuana has picked up one influential supporter. Sen. Stephen West, co-chair of the Judiciary Committee, said he is sponsoring the Senate version of the medical marijuana bill.
“Most Kentuckians want it," he said. "They want that option."
West agreed more study and vetting are needed, but he said medical marijuana has gained significant momentum. He said it is not clear whether lingering concerns will be enough to stall the bill.
“It was a big lift to get it over here from the House," West said. "It's come a long way in the past year, two years, so we'll just see how it goes."
The fate of the bill could hinge on which committee it is assigned to for a possible hearing. It could be West's committee or Alvarado's or neither. Senate leaders have not yet made that decision.
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