Supporters believe revamped medical marijuana bill can catch fire with Kentucky lawmakers

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Louisville lawmaker said his revamped medical marijuana bill has the votes to pass the General Assembly if it comes up for a vote in the 2022 session.

Rep. Jason Nemes told members of the Interim Judiciary Committee that he has tightened the bill that passed the House 65-30 during the 2020 session but stalled in the Senate. He said users would not be able to grow the marijuana themselves or smoke it.

“This bill is no smoke," Nemes said. "I hear a lot of people beat up on the bill, because they're going to folks saying, 'Smoke, smoke, smoke.' This bill is no smoke."

Nemes said parts of the bill that he wanted have been removed in order to increase the chance of passage. The new version puts more restrictions on who can grow, sell and prescribe medical marijuana and puts more limits on who can use it.

There are now four qualifying conditions: chronic pain, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and nausea.

“This bill ain't no joke," Nemes said. "We're talking about medical cannabis. We're talking about helping people who need help. We're not talking about making it available willy-nilly."

But Shanna Babalonis, a behavioral scientist at the University of Kentucky who studies the effects of marijuana, asked lawmakers to hit pause until more research can be done.

“I'm worried that our physicians are a bit unprepared to handle the patients that come to them asking for medical cannabis, because the science is just not up to speed,” Babalonis said, adding that the research could take years to complete.

But long-time medical marijuana advocate Eric Crawford, who was paralyzed in an auto accident, said cannabis allows him to function more effectively than the opioids his doctor prescribed.

“Cannabis allows me to get out of bed and make the most out of life,” he said.

There were signs that changes made to the bill may be softening some skeptics. Senate Judiciary Chairman Whitney Westerfield said he has worked through the proposal with Nemes page by page.

“I don't know if I'm going to vote for it or not. I've told Rep. Nemes that,” Westerfield said. “But I'm a lot closer to being able to support something based on what we've worked through.”

Nemes said he is in no hurry to file the bill before the session begins in January. He said it still needs a few minor tweaks to try to get even more lawmakers on board.