UPDATE: Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee to hold second town hall Thursday

The committee will be help to advise Governor Beshear on medical cannabis

UPDATE (7/14/22) – A medical marijuana advisory team will host another town hall Thursday evening in northern Kentucky.

The Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee, formed by Gov. Andy Beshear, is traveling around the state to gather views on the issue and provide feedback to the governor’s office. Thursday’s meeting is the second town hall and it’s set to begin at 5:30 p.m. at Northern Kentucky University’s student union ballroom in Highland Heights.

Another meeting is scheduled in Frankfort July 19th at the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

The first meeting took place July 6 in Pikeville.

UPDATE (7/6/22) – Kentucky’s medical marijuana advisory committee will hold its’ first town hall July 6, 2022 in Pikeville. Gov. Andy Beshear formed the team to travel around the state to gather views on medical cannabis and provide feedback to the governor’s office.

The team met for the first time in June.

Wednesday, the panel is in eastern Kentucky at the University of Pikeville’s Health Professions Education Building. The meeting is scheduled from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The next town hall meeting is set for July 19 at the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet in Frankfort.

Anyone planning to attend should register online HERE.

The governor announced the 17 members of the panel last month which includes health care professionals, members of law enforcement and advocates for medical marijuana.

The governor also launched a website where people can stay informed about the advisory committee and submit feedback HERE.

ORIGINAL STORY POSTED JULY 6, 2022

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ/RELEASE)- Governor Andy Beshear has announced the members of Team Kentucky Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee.

The Team Kentucky Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee will help advise him on providing access to medical cannabis for Kentuckians suffering from chronic pain and other medical conditions.

Through an executive order, the Governor named 17 initial members, who have relevant experience in health care, treatment of opioid use disorder and other diseases of addiction, law enforcement, criminal justice and advocacy for medical cannabis.

The committee will soon travel the state and listen to Kentuckians’ views on medical cannabis and provide that feedback to the Governor.

“Polling suggests 90% 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. It is simply time that something more is done,” said Gov. Beshear. “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.”

Medical cannabis is often utilized as an alternative to highly addictive opioids, many of which are still prescribed to deal with patients’ pain.

And, while lawmakers in Frankfort have failed to act, a total of 38 states – including neighboring Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia – 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; Crohn’s disease; multiple sclerosis; severe and chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder.

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.

Other members are:

• Dr. Amber Cann of La Grange, pharmacy coach and adjunct professor at Spalding University;

• Julie Cantwell of Rineyville, advocate with Kentuckians for Medical Marijuana;

• Jennifer Cave of Louisville, member, Stites and Harbison;

• Eric Crawford of Maysville, advocate;

• Cookie Crews of Frankfort, commissioner of the Department of Corrections;

• Dr. John Farmer of Louisville, OB/GYN, medical director of Solid Ground Counseling and Recovery, addiction treatment provider in Louisville, Morehead and Hazard;

• Dr. Jonathan Hatton of Whitesburg, family medicine, Mountain Comprehensive Health;

• Brian Jointer of Jeffersonville, Indiana, certified public health worker in Louisville;

• Dr. Nick Kouns of Lexington, internal medicine, Clark Regional Medical Center;

• Alex Kreit of Cincinnati, Ohio, director of the Chase Center on Addiction Law and Policy at Northern Kentucky University;

• Dr. Linda McClain of Louisville, OB/GYN, Commonwealth Counseling Center;

• Andrew Sparks of Lexington, former assistant U.S. Attorney;

• Dee Dee Taylor of Louisville, chief executive officer, 502 Hemp Wellness Center;

• Julie Wallace of Morganfield, Union County Attorney; and

• Kristin Wilcox of Beaver Dam, co-founder of Kentucky Moms for Medical Cannabis.

The committee will come together for the first time in the near future to schedule town hall meetings that will be held throughout the commonwealth.

Townhall meetings will be open to the public for discussion and feedback from residents, local leaders, health care providers and advocacy groups.

Meeting details will be released in advance.

The Governor also announced the launch of a new website where Kentuckians can learn more about the upcoming work of the advisory committee and submit their own feedback. The website is HERE.