Kansas Medical Cannabis Proposal Stalls for 2024
Efforts to legalize medical marijuana in Kansas have hit a dead end for 2024, as the state Senate blocked a motion to bring the proposal to the floor for debate. If it had passed, the bill would have allowed patients with certain medical conditions to use cannabis in one of the few remaining states without medical marijuana legalization.
Last month, the Kansas Senate legislative committee voted to table Senate Bill 135 after hearing testimony from both supporters and opponents. On Friday, an attempt to revive the bill and bring it out of committee failed, with the motion rejected by a 12-25 vote, according to the Associated Press.
In addition to the medical marijuana proposal, the Kansas Senate also failed to advance a bill to expand Medicaid coverage under the 2010 Affordable Care Act, a measure already adopted by 40 states and the District of Columbia. State Senator John Doll, a Republican from western Kansas who supported both measures, criticized the state’s reluctance to adopt reforms embraced by much of the nation.
“We’re behind the times,” Doll commented after the votes.
Bill Included 21 Qualifying Conditions
Senate Bill 135 aimed to legalize cannabis for patients with one or more of 21 serious medical conditions, such as cancer, epilepsy, spinal cord injuries, and chronic pain. Patients would have needed a doctor’s recommendation to use medical marijuana and would be required to pay $50 for a state ID card to participate in the program. Purchases would also have been subject to a 10% excise tax.
The bill proposed regulations for the cultivation, processing, distribution, and sale of medical marijuana, with oversight from four state agencies: the Department of Health and Environment, the Board of Healing Arts, the Department of Revenue’s Alcohol and Beverage Control (to be renamed Alcohol and Cannabis Control), and the Board of Pharmacy.
Opponents pointed to issues in neighboring Oklahoma, where medical marijuana legalization in 2018 led to what some officials describe as loose regulations, resulting in a surge of growers and concerns about illegal distribution. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond and other officials have cited these problems as a cautionary tale.
“We had no idea we were going to have 10,000 growers, way more than they have in California and all these other states, and anybody with a hangnail could get a medical card,” said Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt.
However, Cheryl Kumberg, a nurse and president of the Kansas Cannabis Coalition, argued that Oklahoma’s challenges stem from particularly lenient regulations, unlike those proposed in Kansas. She noted that Kansas residents are already obtaining cannabis from other states, risking legal consequences.
“It’s ridiculous,” Kumberg said. “I can go 45 minutes one way, a couple hours in the other direction, and you can just use it however you want.”
Medical Marijuana Bill Tabled in March
Senate Bill 135 was halted on March 14 when the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee voted to table it. Democratic Governor Laura Kelly expressed frustration at the decision, urging lawmakers to pass medical marijuana legalization and encouraging residents to contact their legislators to push for a vote.
“I am disappointed that some legislators are saying they don’t want to move forward with legalizing medical marijuana this year – effectively turning their backs on our veterans and those with chronic pain and seizure disorders,” Kelly wrote on X on March 16. “If they get their way, for yet another year thousands of Kansans will be forced to choose
Title: Kansas Medical Cannabis Bill Halted for 2024
Kansas’ push to legalize medical marijuana has stalled for 2024 after the state Senate rejected an effort to bring the proposal to the floor for debate. If passed, the bill would have allowed patients with specific medical conditions to use cannabis, making Kansas one of the last states to adopt medical marijuana laws.
Last month, the Kansas Senate legislative committee tabled Senate Bill 135 after hearing from both proponents and opponents. On Friday, a motion to revive the bill and bring it out of committee failed by a vote of 12-25, as reported by the Associated Press.
The Kansas Senate also failed to advance a bill to expand Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act, an initiative already adopted by 40 states and the District of Columbia. State Senator John Doll, a western Kansas Republican who supported both measures, criticized Kansas for lagging behind the rest of the country.
“We’re behind the times,” Doll remarked after the Senate votes.
Bill Proposed 21 Qualifying Conditions
If Senate Bill 135 had been approved, it would have allowed the use of cannabis for patients with one or more of 21 serious medical conditions, including cancer, epilepsy, spinal cord injuries, and chronic pain. Patients would have needed a doctor’s recommendation and would be required to pay $50 for a state identification card to access medical marijuana. Purchases would also have been subject to a 10% excise tax.
The bill outlined regulations for the cultivation, processing, distribution, and sale of medical marijuana, with oversight from four state agencies: the Department of Health and Environment, the Board of Healing Arts, the Department of Revenue’s Alcohol and Beverage Control (to be renamed Alcohol and Cannabis Control), and the Board of Pharmacy.
Opponents referenced issues in neighboring Oklahoma, where medical marijuana legalization in 2018 led to a surge in growers and concerns about illegal distribution. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond and other officials have highlighted these issues as cautionary examples.
“We had no idea we were going to have 10,000 growers, way more than they have in California and all these other states, and anybody with a hangnail could get a medical card,” said Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt.
Cheryl Kumberg, a registered nurse and president of the Kansas Cannabis Coalition, argued that Oklahoma’s challenges stem from particularly lenient regulations, unlike those proposed in Kansas. She noted that Kansas residents are already obtaining cannabis from other states, risking legal consequences.
“It’s ridiculous,” Kumberg said. “I can go 45 minutes one way, a couple hours in the other direction, and you can just use it however you want.”
Medical Marijuana Bill Tabled in March
Senate Bill 135 was tabled on March 14 by the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee. Democratic Governor Laura Kelly expressed frustration at the development and urged lawmakers to pass medical marijuana legalization, encouraging residents to contact their legislators.
“I am disappointed that some legislators are saying they don’t want to move forward with legalizing medical marijuana this year – effectively turning their backs on our veterans and those with chronic pain and seizure disorders,” Kelly wrote on X on March 16. “If they get their way, for yet another year thousands of Kansans will be forced to choose between breaking the law and living without pain. I encourage Kansans to call their state legislators and tell them to legalize medical marijuana this session.”
After Friday’s vote failed to bring the bill to the Senate floor, Democratic Senator Cindy Holscher expressed disappointment over the continued obstacles facing medical marijuana legalization despite strong public support.
“Over the past three weeks, scores of Kansans have reached out to their senators voicing support for medical cannabis as they have done for nearly the past decade,” Holscher said, according to KAKE television news. “Sadly, supporters have faced many hurdles on this important measure.”
