LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Lawmakers are warning Gov. Andy Beshear is giving Kentuckians false hope after he announced the possibility of pursuing executive actions to legalize medical marijuana. 

Beshear affirmed his support for medical cannabis during his weekly "Team Kentucky" news conference on Thursday.

"I want it done in the right way, and we're going to be looking at our legal options very closely," Beshear said. "At the same time, we want to hear from you."

Rep. Jason Nemes, R-Louisville, has pushed for the legalization of medical marijuana the state house.

"I thought something was coming, to the extent that it's an effort to bring more information to the subject, to use the Governor's bully pulpit to push the issue forward, I'm fully supportive," Nemes said. "I appreciate the Governor's sentiment on this, I agree with him 100%."

BESHEAR MEDICAL MARIJUANA PLAN

Rep. Jason Nemes speaks to WDRB on April 22, 2022.

Nemes said medicinal cannabis won't be legalized via executive order.

"I want to have words of caution there. I have had a lot of advocates contact me and ask me if this is possible, can this happen. They are hopeful. they just want to be and feel better," Nemes said. "The answer is 'no' the Governor does not have the authority to legalize medicinal cannabis in Kentucky. I wish he did. If he did, I would be heralding it from the rooftops because this is something I believe Kentuckians need."

Beshear announced what he called a four-step plan that would be rolled out over the coming months to "amplify" the voices of the public on the issue.

The steps include:

  • Analyzing what options are available for executive action on the issue
  • Setting up a medical cannabis advisory team
  • Deploying the medical cannabis advisory team throughout Kentucky to hear opinions from residents on the issue
  • Creating an email address at govmedicalcannabisadvisoryteam@ky.gov where residents can voice their opinions

But opponents said they worry that Kentucky’s cannabis policy would become more lenient over the years if medical marijuana gets a legal foothold. That would worsen drug addiction woes, they said.

Sen. Ralph Alvarado, R-Winchester, is a physician by trade and chairs the Senate's Health and Welfare Committee. He said there's no other raw plant that's considered a medicine in it's purest form, so there needs to be more research.

He said he does support extracts, like hemp, but doesn't support characterizing marijuana as a medicine.

The governor said the review will span the next couple of months.

Beshear said the right regulatory framework should be created to prevent abuse.

"We will be looing at action and a culmination into some form of action depending on our legal options," Beshear said. 

Before the Kentucky General Assembly ended its 60-day session last week, lawmakers gave final passage to a bill to create a cannabis research center to study the use of cannabis to treat certain medical conditions.

It was offered as an alternative to the stalled bill legalizing medical marijuana. The legalization bill would have strictly regulated the use of cannabis for a list of eligible medical conditions — including cancer, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, epilepsy and chronic nausea.

In March, the Kentucky House endorsed legalizing medical marijuana, clearing the Republican-dominated House on a 59-34 vote. It made no headway in the Senate.

Nemes said the state-wide review will change more votes and minds in Kentucky. It will help bring stronger arguments to the General Assembly, according to Nemes.

"This is not something that is going to happen in the next week or month," Nemes said. "This has to be a statutory change, and the only way to change a statue is unfortunately through the legislature."

The House built momentum prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nemes said.

But the pandemic changed the focus of lawmakers for the past few years.

The representative for the 33rd District, representing Jefferson, Oldham and Shelby counties, said Kentuckians are currently forced to either break the law, suffer or leave Kentucky for medicinal marijuana. He's seeing support grow, although.

"It feels like momentum is strongly on our side, that's because the people of Kentucky have decided, they have looked at this issue and they are for it," Nemes said. 

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