Robert Celt
New Member
Mark Twain said he wanted to be in Kentucky when the world ended because in Kentucky the end would come 20 years later.
In 1996, I lost re-election for Congress, which, to most politicians, is the end of the world. Twenty years later, I'm back on the campaign trail, but not as a candidate or in an election. Instead, I've formed a nonprofit called Legalize Kentucky Now, which will focus on making Kentucky the first state in our region to make medically necessary marijuana available. As I've talked to people about this new initiative, I get asked two questions: why you, and why now?
First, why me?
I've seen firsthand how much medically necessary marijuana can help people. My little brother, Alex, died of AIDS. In the last few months of his life, his lack of appetite and nausea made eating almost impossible. But because of medically necessary marijuana, he was able to eat, keep food down, and ease his day-to-day suffering. In the hospital, the wonderful and caring nurses knew this was going on, and looked the other way. The incredible thing? This was the early 1990s, and medically necessary marijuana is still not available for people in Kentucky.
Legalize Kentucky Now is going to change that. In a time when politicians in Frankfort can't agree on what time it is, this is an issue that so many agree on, albeit for their own reasons. Some support medically necessary marijuana because of their deeply-held beliefs about personal freedom and desire to see government stay out of their personal lives.
Others, throughout Kentucky, see prescription pain pills and heroin destroying families. Those folks know that the real gateway drug is opiates and prescription pain pills and that making medically necessary marijuana available will actually reduce crime, heroin use and help reduce the daily devastation they see.
Still, others see the economic benefits to our state. Legalize Kentucky Now will work to ensure that every nickel of new revenue to the state is dedicated to four things: schools, roads, drug law enforcement and pensions.
Just this week we've seen the road budget cut in half and the pension crisis worsening with no real solutions. Combined with the increase in jobs, medically necessary marijuana will benefit everyone, not just those who need it for their health.
Finally, two of Kentucky's Republican leaders, Sen. Rand Paul and Gov. Matt Bevin, support this issue. The Democrat speaker of the house sponsored a bill about this last session. We have a real chance of passing something this year.
So why am I doing this now? After a lifetime of public service, from helping my mother in the civil rights movement through the last election, I've never seen such cynicism and hopelessness from the public. This issue can help so many people, help Kentucky, bring the parties together and make Kentucky a model on how a red state goes green.
But our work will not be easy, and we will be relying on grassroots support from Paducah to Pikeville. A simple phone call, email or letter to legislators will be amazingly effective on this issue. Our website, legalizekentuckynow.com, has details on how to contact legislators. This personal contact from voters means so much because of the stigma associated with this issue.
The more people that legislators hear from, the more they will see that their voters will back them up if they vote to make medically necessary marijuana available in Kentucky, and may actually vote against them if they don't support it. We will be highlighting all available polling data that shows this issue has a lot of support. But that's not enough: Direct contact from voters is what will carry the day.
In sum, I'm proud to stand up for personal freedom and less government in people's personal lives. I'm proud to stand up for Kentuckians suffering from debilitating medical conditions like cancer, chronic pain, MS, muscular dystrophy, Alzheimer's, PTSD, HIV/AIDS and devastating seizures, and I'm proud to fight for their right to receive safe, legal and medically necessary marijuana.
Please stand with me, and please contact your legislators today. Your voice matters, and you can make a difference. Go to legalizekentuckynow.com to get started.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Why Time Is Right For Medical Marijuana In Kentucky
Author: Mike Ward
Contact: Courier-Journal
Photo Credit: None found
Website: Courier-Journal
In 1996, I lost re-election for Congress, which, to most politicians, is the end of the world. Twenty years later, I'm back on the campaign trail, but not as a candidate or in an election. Instead, I've formed a nonprofit called Legalize Kentucky Now, which will focus on making Kentucky the first state in our region to make medically necessary marijuana available. As I've talked to people about this new initiative, I get asked two questions: why you, and why now?
First, why me?
I've seen firsthand how much medically necessary marijuana can help people. My little brother, Alex, died of AIDS. In the last few months of his life, his lack of appetite and nausea made eating almost impossible. But because of medically necessary marijuana, he was able to eat, keep food down, and ease his day-to-day suffering. In the hospital, the wonderful and caring nurses knew this was going on, and looked the other way. The incredible thing? This was the early 1990s, and medically necessary marijuana is still not available for people in Kentucky.
Legalize Kentucky Now is going to change that. In a time when politicians in Frankfort can't agree on what time it is, this is an issue that so many agree on, albeit for their own reasons. Some support medically necessary marijuana because of their deeply-held beliefs about personal freedom and desire to see government stay out of their personal lives.
Others, throughout Kentucky, see prescription pain pills and heroin destroying families. Those folks know that the real gateway drug is opiates and prescription pain pills and that making medically necessary marijuana available will actually reduce crime, heroin use and help reduce the daily devastation they see.
Still, others see the economic benefits to our state. Legalize Kentucky Now will work to ensure that every nickel of new revenue to the state is dedicated to four things: schools, roads, drug law enforcement and pensions.
Just this week we've seen the road budget cut in half and the pension crisis worsening with no real solutions. Combined with the increase in jobs, medically necessary marijuana will benefit everyone, not just those who need it for their health.
Finally, two of Kentucky's Republican leaders, Sen. Rand Paul and Gov. Matt Bevin, support this issue. The Democrat speaker of the house sponsored a bill about this last session. We have a real chance of passing something this year.
So why am I doing this now? After a lifetime of public service, from helping my mother in the civil rights movement through the last election, I've never seen such cynicism and hopelessness from the public. This issue can help so many people, help Kentucky, bring the parties together and make Kentucky a model on how a red state goes green.
But our work will not be easy, and we will be relying on grassroots support from Paducah to Pikeville. A simple phone call, email or letter to legislators will be amazingly effective on this issue. Our website, legalizekentuckynow.com, has details on how to contact legislators. This personal contact from voters means so much because of the stigma associated with this issue.
The more people that legislators hear from, the more they will see that their voters will back them up if they vote to make medically necessary marijuana available in Kentucky, and may actually vote against them if they don't support it. We will be highlighting all available polling data that shows this issue has a lot of support. But that's not enough: Direct contact from voters is what will carry the day.
In sum, I'm proud to stand up for personal freedom and less government in people's personal lives. I'm proud to stand up for Kentuckians suffering from debilitating medical conditions like cancer, chronic pain, MS, muscular dystrophy, Alzheimer's, PTSD, HIV/AIDS and devastating seizures, and I'm proud to fight for their right to receive safe, legal and medically necessary marijuana.
Please stand with me, and please contact your legislators today. Your voice matters, and you can make a difference. Go to legalizekentuckynow.com to get started.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Why Time Is Right For Medical Marijuana In Kentucky
Author: Mike Ward
Contact: Courier-Journal
Photo Credit: None found
Website: Courier-Journal
