Katelyn Baker
Well-Known Member
A hearing on the Cannabis Compassion and Care Act, a bill that would legalize medical marijuana in Kansas, received a hearing by the Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs on Feb. 20.
The bill was introduced by Sen. David Haley (D-Kansas City), who said his bill was the latest in several efforts to bring medical marijuana to Kansas.
"I think most of Americans now, according to polling, recognize that marijuana used for medicinal use is, overall, not harmful," Haley said.
Haley said marijuana is a relatively benign and a naturally growing substance that can provide relief to patients suffering from a variety of ailments, such as chronic pain, cancer, glaucoma, seizures and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Likewise, Haley said legalizing marijuana might help decrease cases of prescription-based opioid addiction.
"There's never been a documented overdose or death from using marijuana," Haley said. "At the same time, pharmaceuticals contribute in the hundreds, in Kansas alone, in death due to overdose or abuse."
While Haley said he is a strong supporter of the increased regulation of marijuana from "seed to sale" (from the growth of the plant to its distribution), the bill would bring in exponentially more revenue than it would cost to regulate marijuana use in the state, Haley said.
"There's irrefutable proof [from states that have already legalized marijuana] that the benefits of medical marijuana far, far outweigh the detriments," Haley said.
The ACLU of Kansas also declared its support for Haley's bill. Micah Kubic, executive director of the ACLU of Kansas, said "Kansans should have the right to make decisions about their health care, in consultation with their doctors."
"People ought to have the freedom to make those sorts of decisions by themselves without the prevention of politicians and legislators, particularly given the fact that medical marijuana has been proven to have health benefits, particularly for very debilitating conditions," Kubic said.
Kubic also said that legislators should leave health care choices to medical professionals.
"The members of the legislature and the politicians, in general, are not doctors," Kubic said. "And that's why I think that this is a really a decision that ought to be left between doctors and patients and not folks who don't know anything about it."
The future of medical marijuana in Kansas still unclear, but University drug/narcotic criminal offenses have increased dramatically, from 32 in 2006 to 186 in 2015, according to a University Public Safety Office report.
However, Michelle Voth, executive director of Kansas Family Partnership, a nonprofit group that seeks to prevent substance abuse in Kansas, said that the bill is flawed in many ways, especially since marijuana has not been approved by the FDA.
"It circumvents the very process that is really designed to protect the public from harm," Voth said. "There is no other medicine that is or has been approved via the legislative process, that I'm aware of at least."
Voth said without FDA approval, the public does not know safety concerns, standard dosage effects or have clarity regarding any toxic effects.
Moreover, Voth said the bill fails to address many important issues. The bill does not require medical follow-ups or monitoring nor are physicians trained on prescribing marijuana in medical school. Additionally, the science regarding marijuana is not clear yet, Voth said.
"Not one national medical organization supports the smoking of marijuana for medical purposes," Voth said.
Voth also said the bill could unleash many unintended consequences, as have occurred in states that have already legalized marijuana.
In states that have legalized marijuana, there has been an increase in marijuana-related ER visits, car fatalities pediatric exposure and youth (12-17) use, Voth said.
"There's just a lot of question marks I think the bill opens up for Kansas, and we're seeing some of the fallout from other states," Voth said.
Haley said that he supports the full legalization of marijuana in Kansas but that he does not want to cloud these two issues. However, he did submit a bill that would legalize marijuana in the state, but it did not receive a hearing.
If citizens wish to opine on the future of the Cannabis Compassion and Care Act, they can contact members of the Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs. The chair of the committee is Rep. Jacob LaTurner (R-Pittsburgh).
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Kansas Considering Legalizing Medical Marijuana
Author: Nolan Brey
Contact: 785-864-4358
Photo Credit: Ashley Hocking
Website: The University Daily Kansan
The bill was introduced by Sen. David Haley (D-Kansas City), who said his bill was the latest in several efforts to bring medical marijuana to Kansas.
"I think most of Americans now, according to polling, recognize that marijuana used for medicinal use is, overall, not harmful," Haley said.
Haley said marijuana is a relatively benign and a naturally growing substance that can provide relief to patients suffering from a variety of ailments, such as chronic pain, cancer, glaucoma, seizures and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Likewise, Haley said legalizing marijuana might help decrease cases of prescription-based opioid addiction.
"There's never been a documented overdose or death from using marijuana," Haley said. "At the same time, pharmaceuticals contribute in the hundreds, in Kansas alone, in death due to overdose or abuse."
While Haley said he is a strong supporter of the increased regulation of marijuana from "seed to sale" (from the growth of the plant to its distribution), the bill would bring in exponentially more revenue than it would cost to regulate marijuana use in the state, Haley said.
"There's irrefutable proof [from states that have already legalized marijuana] that the benefits of medical marijuana far, far outweigh the detriments," Haley said.
The ACLU of Kansas also declared its support for Haley's bill. Micah Kubic, executive director of the ACLU of Kansas, said "Kansans should have the right to make decisions about their health care, in consultation with their doctors."
"People ought to have the freedom to make those sorts of decisions by themselves without the prevention of politicians and legislators, particularly given the fact that medical marijuana has been proven to have health benefits, particularly for very debilitating conditions," Kubic said.
Kubic also said that legislators should leave health care choices to medical professionals.
"The members of the legislature and the politicians, in general, are not doctors," Kubic said. "And that's why I think that this is a really a decision that ought to be left between doctors and patients and not folks who don't know anything about it."
The future of medical marijuana in Kansas still unclear, but University drug/narcotic criminal offenses have increased dramatically, from 32 in 2006 to 186 in 2015, according to a University Public Safety Office report.
However, Michelle Voth, executive director of Kansas Family Partnership, a nonprofit group that seeks to prevent substance abuse in Kansas, said that the bill is flawed in many ways, especially since marijuana has not been approved by the FDA.
"It circumvents the very process that is really designed to protect the public from harm," Voth said. "There is no other medicine that is or has been approved via the legislative process, that I'm aware of at least."
Voth said without FDA approval, the public does not know safety concerns, standard dosage effects or have clarity regarding any toxic effects.
Moreover, Voth said the bill fails to address many important issues. The bill does not require medical follow-ups or monitoring nor are physicians trained on prescribing marijuana in medical school. Additionally, the science regarding marijuana is not clear yet, Voth said.
"Not one national medical organization supports the smoking of marijuana for medical purposes," Voth said.
Voth also said the bill could unleash many unintended consequences, as have occurred in states that have already legalized marijuana.
In states that have legalized marijuana, there has been an increase in marijuana-related ER visits, car fatalities pediatric exposure and youth (12-17) use, Voth said.
"There's just a lot of question marks I think the bill opens up for Kansas, and we're seeing some of the fallout from other states," Voth said.
Haley said that he supports the full legalization of marijuana in Kansas but that he does not want to cloud these two issues. However, he did submit a bill that would legalize marijuana in the state, but it did not receive a hearing.
If citizens wish to opine on the future of the Cannabis Compassion and Care Act, they can contact members of the Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs. The chair of the committee is Rep. Jacob LaTurner (R-Pittsburgh).
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Kansas Considering Legalizing Medical Marijuana
Author: Nolan Brey
Contact: 785-864-4358
Photo Credit: Ashley Hocking
Website: The University Daily Kansan
