Medical marijuana debate heats up in legislative committee

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – The medical marijuana debate is heating up in Kentucky.

A legislative committee — the Joint Interim Committee on the Judiciary — heard an impassioned plea Thursday from a Mason County resident who says he and thousands of others need medical marijuana to deal with their illnesses. A UK professor made the case for more research.

And a state representative says the Legislature has a good proposal that has the votes to pass.

It would impose reasonable restrictions and safeguards, require medical oversight and not allow growing for personal use. They also say it’s not about legalizing marijuana.

“I don’t support that, we don’t have the votes for that in the General Assembly. This is the medical marijuana bill, this is not recreational bill. This is what we have the votes for there’s no doubt about it. We have the votes for it in the House and the Senate. It passed 65 to 30 in the House. We were told it wouldn’t get a vote, it wouldn’t pass 65 to 30 in the House. We have the votes. We need to have the courage to vote,” said state Rep. Jason Nemes, a Louisville Republican.

A similar measure passed the House last year but never came up in the Senate.