Gov. Beshear provides steps regarding medical marijuana

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Gov. Andy Beshear updated the public Thursday that legislation on medical marijuana has not been passed by the General Assembly despite public support.

Beshear said those suffering from Alzheimer’s, ALS, cancer, severe and chronic pain, epilepsy and seizures, post-traumatic stress disorder and other conditions in many other states can work with their health care providers to gain access to medical marijuana to help treat their symptoms.

As of February this year, 37 states, Washington, D.C., Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands regulate cannabis for medical use by those who qualify.

With so many residents of Kentucky providing support on moving forward on medical marijuana, including many in the Kentucky House of Representatives, the governor announced four steps his administration is taking on this topic:

• Beshear asked his general counsel to begin analyzing options under the law for the governor to consider for executive action on medical marijuana;
• Establishing the Governor’s Medical Cannabis Advisory Team;
• He will ask this advisory team to travel around the state and listen to what Kentuckians have to say about medical marijuana; and
• The governor has established a way for Kentuckians to communicate with his office specifically on this topic. They can email the Governor’s Office at GovMedicalCannabisAdvisoryTeam@ky.gov.