Kentucky state officials have announced members of the Team Kentucky Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee, which would advise Gov. Andy Beshear regarding medical cannabis access for residents.
“Polling suggests 90 percent of Kentucky adults support legalizing medical cannabis, while at the same time, far too many in our state who could benefit from it are suffering,” Beshear said. “It is simply time that something more is done. I want to make sure every voice is heard as I am weighing executive action that could provide access to medical cannabis in the commonwealth.”
An executive order empowers Beshear to name 17 initial members possessing relevant experience in health care; opioid use disorder and other diseases of addiction treatment; and law enforcement, criminal justice, and medical cannabis advocacy.
The panel is slated to soon begin traveling the state, garnering insight regarding Kentuckians’ views on medical cannabis, then providing Beshears with feedback.
Secretary of the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet Kerry Harvey and Secretary of the Public Protection Cabinet Ray Perry will serve as co-chairs of the Team Kentucky Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee. Medical cannabis is deployed as an alternative to opioids, which are still prescribed to deal with patients’ pain.
Kentucky officials maintain that 38 states allow cannabis for medical use when prescribed by qualified individuals to help provide treatment for such medical conditions as cancer, ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, epilepsy and seizures, Parkinson’s disease, and Crohn’s disease.