After multiple unsuccessful attempts to establish a medical marijuana program, a bill has been introduced in the Kansas Statehouse. If passed, this bill would create one of the most restricted medical marijuana programs in the nation.
Kansas, like nine other states, currently does not have any laws in place allowing for the use of medical or recreational cannabis. Although a medical marijuana bill was passed by the Kansas House in 2021, it did not progress in the Senate, resulting in no further developments on the matter.
Senate Bill 555, which was introduced in the Senate on Monday, proposes the implementation of a pilot program specifically designed for individuals suffering from any of the 16 specified medical conditions. However, it is important to note that the available options for medical marijuana will be comparatively more restricted compared to other states that have already established comprehensive medical cannabis programs.
Consuming cannabis through smoking, vaping, or flavored edibles will not be permitted under the new regulations. However, individuals will still have the option to purchase cannabis flower, pills, tinctures, patches, and ointments. It is important to note that the distribution of cannabis flower will be handled by pharmacies, rather than dispensaries, in the state.
Jared Holroyd, executive director of the Kansas Pharmacists Association, emphasized the significance of having physician-ordered medication processed by a pharmacist. In a news release, he stated that by receiving medication through a pharmacist instead of a dispensary, patients gain a vital sense of assurance in their prescription and benefit from expert responses to their inquiries.
The Senate has emerged as the primary obstacle to passing a medical marijuana bill in recent years. Their concerns revolve around the need to establish limitations on medical marijuana programs to prevent the possibility of it paving the way for recreational legalization.
In an interview with KSNT TV in January, Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, expressed his openness to a limited pilot program.
Sam Jones, the chief operating officer of Kansas Natural Remedies, the largest indoor hemp producer in the state, emphasized that the main objective of this bill is to address the concerns raised by legislators in previous bills and establish a highly conservative and regulated medical cannabis program in Kansas.
