The Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear D signed a measure to legalize medical cannabis on Friday, making it the 38th state in the nation to allow access to medical marijuana for patients with debilitating conditions.
This is a truly historic day here in the commonwealth and deserves the support of many people - especially the constituents who have approached me over the years to share their stories, said State Sen. Stephen West, the bill's lead sponsor.
The Kentucky House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives approved the measure on Thursday in a 66 33 vote, marking the third time that the full House has voted on the issue. Beshear pushed for chamber members to give the green light to the measure.
I strongly urge them to do so, and you should encourage them too, Beshear said in a Twitter post on Monday that citizens should act. You should ask your representative to pass medical cannabis for Kentuckians in need. West's Senate Bill 47 sailed smoothly through the state Senate earlier this month.
One of the reasons I sponsored this bill and moved it along is addiction, West said on Friday. Other states that have adopted this approach have seen not only a 20 -- 30 percent reduction in opioid use, but also a 20 or 30 percent reduction in drug addiction. If you haven't looked, Kentucky has a severe addiction problem, and I think Senate Bill 47 and medical marijuana can be part of the solution. A governing body will be created to regulate medical cannabis use and distribution in the Bluegrass State. Patients will be allowed to have a 30 day supply of medical cannabis at their residence and a 10 day supply on their person.