Another Indiana neighbor could soon legalize marijuana.
But as always, there are several reasons not to get excited.
A bill that would decriminalize medical weed soared out of a Kentucky House committee on Wednesday. Similar legislation did the same thing last year, though, and it fizzled without even getting a vote.
House Bill 136 stands a slightly better chance. Republican Senate President Robert Stivers told the Courier-Journal the bill has a “narrow” shot of passing the Senate. And an army of House legislators have signed on as co-sponsors. Still, skepticism abounds.
The Cincinnati Enquirer reported earlier this month that an overwhelming percentage of Kentucky residents support medical marijuana as well, but who cares about that? In America, normal people have little say in the actions of their government.
Still, even the bill’s minuscule chance of survival puts Kentucky way ahead of Indiana.
Every marijuana-related bill proposed in our 2020 session failed miserably. And they all scraped around the edges, doing things like nixing paraphernalia charges instead of calling for out-and-out decriminalization.
If the Kentucky bill passes, that would mean every state bordering Indiana has legalized weed in some way.
Ohio OK’d medical marijuana back in 2019 – even if it recently denied a football fan’s request to add “Bengals or Browns fan” to the list of weed-worthy medical conditions. Michigan has green-lit medicinal pot as well, and it embarked on a shaky start to recreational marijuana last year.
Illinois’ recreational marijuana sales started in January, sparking giant lines, piles of tax dollars and shortages for its medical weed operation.
They also inspired a few genius Girl Scouts to set up shop outside a Chicago weed dispensary, where they hawked cookies to munchie-stricken customers.
The bill would put Kentucky ahead of Tennessee, too, which made viral headlines recently when a dude accused of marijuana possession expressed his dissatisfaction by lighting a joint during his court hearing.
But even some who support the legislation aren’t that pumped about it. Against all odds, Kentucky legislators have made a bill legalizing marijuana seem square.
The bill “prohibit(s) smoking of medical marijuana,” meaning any patient who buys flower has to find a different way to consume it. It also “permit(s) an employer to restrict the possession and use of medicinal marijuana by an employee.”
Then it weirdly goes out of its way to say it’s illegal to smoke weed on a school bus – which, to me, seemed like a given.
“This is not the bill (we) want,” Rep. Jason Nemes told the Courier-Journal. “This is the bill that we can pass. We will continue to move it forward and try to improve it.”
Even with all its flaws, it could still be a huge plus for Kentuckians who suffer through chronic pain.
Legislators heard from one this week. Activist Eric Crawford, a quadriplegic, told lawmakers he uses weed instead of opioids to treat his pain, and he’d be thrilled at the idea of no longer feeling like a criminal.
I’m sure there are several folks like him – in Indiana and Kentucky. Maybe, at some point in the future, we can find them some relief.
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