Beshear signs executive order to legalize medical marijuana in Kentucky - WDRB

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentuckians volition soon beryllium capable to person and usage 8 oregon less ounces of aesculapian marijuana if it's legally purchased successful different state, Gov. Andy Beshear announced Tuesday.

Beshear said helium signed an enforcement bid that volition spell into effect Jan. 1.

"There is different mode to negociate symptom without the menace of addiction," Beshear said successful a quality league from Frankfort.

There volition beryllium 3 pieces of criteria that indispensable beryllium met, Beshear said:

Cannabis indispensable beryllium bought successful the United States of America successful a authorities wherever the acquisition is ineligible and regulated. Kentuckians volition request to support their receipt.
The magnitude a idiosyncratic tin acquisition and person astatine immoderate 1 clip indispensable not transcend 8 ounces, which is the quality betwixt a misdemeanor and a felony successful Kentucky.
Each Kentuckian indispensable besides person a certification from a licensed wellness attraction supplier that shows that the idiosyncratic has been diagnosed with astatine slightest 1 of 21 aesculapian conditions. A transcript of the certification indispensable beryllium retained.
- Cancer
- ALS
- Epilepsy
- Intractable Seizures
- Parkinson's Disease
- Crohn's Disease
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Sick Cell Anemia
- Severe and chronic pain
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Cashexia oregon Wasting Syndrome
- Neuropathies
- Severe arthritis
- Hepatitis C
- Fibromyalgia
- Intractable pain
- Muscular dystrophy
- Huntington's Dsiease
- HIV/AIDS
- Glaucoma
- A terminal illness

Polling connected by the Team Kentucky Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee suggests 90% of Kentucky adults enactment legalizing aesculapian cannabis.

"You tin acquisition cannabis to dainty a aesculapian information successful Illinois, and you tin usage that cannabis successful West Virginia, but portion you're traveling done Kentucky, you're a criminal," Beshear said. "That's not right."

Legislation legalizing aesculapian marijuana has passed the Kentucky House doubly but stalled each clip successful the Senate. Rep. Jason Nemes, R-Louisville, who's been a driving unit for legalizing aesculapian marijuana, said Tuesday that Beshear doesn't person the powerfulness to motion an enforcement bid legalizing it and can't marque changes without legislators.

"Today, the Governor has granted himself a powerfulness that exists obscurity successful the United States and finds nary refuge successful Kentucky’s Constitution," Nemes said. "If the pardon power—which is wherever helium claims to person authorization to rewrite full chapters of transgression law—gives him the authorization helium claims, past helium has go a instrumentality unto himself and helium is the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary each astatine once. As overmuch arsenic I enactment his effort to bring aesculapian marijuana to Kentucky, this unprecedented powerfulness drawback cannot stand."

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who is besides a Republican campaigner for governor, offered a akin response.

"Time and clip again, the politician has attempted to bypass the policy-making authorization of the General Assembly," Cameron said connected societal media soon aft Tuesday's quality conference. "Today’s enforcement orders regarding aesculapian marijuana and Delta 8 are different illustration of his cognition toward governing. As always, helium seems to relish ruling by decree alternatively of by the law. Kentucky’s General Assembly is the sole and last policy-making assemblage of this authorities and they indispensable beryllium allowed to person their say. We are reviewing these enforcement orders to find adjacent steps."

On Tuesday, Beshear said he'd rescind the enforcement bid if meaningful authorities is passed successful the House and Senate. In the meantime, though, helium said aesculapian marijuana is an alternate to combat cause overdose, thing that has plagued the authorities for decades with deadly consequences.

"Nobody should consciousness similar a transgression erstwhile they tin legally acquisition (medical marijuana) successful a neighboring authorities and usage it successful another," Beshear said.

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