Law Kentucky

[Baron23]

"Smoking marijuana will be prohibited, but patients can still access raw cannabis for vaporization."

So, if people can get "raw cannabis" for vaping....what is to stop them putting it in a pipe or rolling it up. This ^^ is stupid.




Kentucky Governor Signs Medical Marijuana Legalization Bill Into Law

The governor of Kentucky has signed a bill to legalize marijuana, making the state the 38th in the U.S. to enact the reform.

Just one day after the House approved the legislation from Sen. Stephen West (R), Gov. Andy Beshear (D) fulfilled his pledge to sign in into law on Friday. The governor had rallied citizens to pressure their state representatives to pass the bill.

“Far too many of our people face the obstacle of having chronic or terminal diseases like cancer, or those like our veterans suffering from PTSD or Kentuckians living with epilepsy, seizures, Parkinson’s or more,” Beshear said. “These folks want and deserve safe and effective methods of treatment.”

Advocates have been optimistic about medical marijuana’s prospects this year. The House had advanced similar measures in past sessions, only to have them stall in the Senate—but things proved different this time, with the other body taking the lead in advancing the issue.

“One of the prime reasons I sponsored this bill and moved it along is addiction. Other states that have adopted this have seen not only a 20-30 percent reduction in opioid use, but also a 20 or 30 percent reduction in drug addiction,” West, the bill sponsor, said at a press conference on Friday alongside the governor. “If you haven’t looked, Kentucky has a severe addiction problem, and I think Senate Bill 47 and medical marijuana can be part of the solution.”

Rep. Jason Nemes (R), who carried medical cannabis bills in the House for several sessions, said “there are thousands and thousands of Kentuckians who just want to be, and want to feel better—and this will help them with that.”

Here’s what SB 47 will accomplish:

Patients with recommendations from doctors or advanced nurse practitioners can qualify to use cannabis if they have cancer, severe pain, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, muscle spasms or spasticity, chronic nausea or cyclical vomiting, post-traumatic stress disorder or any other medical condition or disease which the Kentucky Center for Cannabis deems appropriate.

Smoking marijuana will be prohibited, but patients can still access raw cannabis for vaporization.

Home cultivation will not be allowed.

Patients can possess a 30-day supply of cannabis in their residence and a 10-day supply on their person.

Patient registration will only last up to 60 days, and the initial visit must be in person.

There will be a 35 percent THC cap on flower marijuana products and 70 percent cap for concentrates. Edibles cannot exceed 10 milligrams per serving.

Medical cannabis will be exempt from sales and excise taxes.

The Cabinet for Health and Family Services will be charged with overseeing the program, including setting regulations and issuing business licenses.

License categories include three tiers of cultivators as well as producers, processors, safety compliance facilities and dispensaries.

Local governments can opt out of allowing cannabis businesses to operate, but citizens can petition to have their municipalities opt back in.

A nine-member Board of Physicians and Advisors will be created consisting of seven physicians and two advanced nurse practitioners.

Regulations will need to be finalized by January 1, 2024.

The state Board of Physicians and State Board of Nursing will be responsible for certifying practitioners to recommend cannabis.

 

[Baron23]

New regulations for Marijuana alternatives take effect in Kentucky ​

New restrictions on the use of legal marijuana alternatives took effect in Kentucky this week, five months after lawmakers approved the legislation.​

The new law regulates what is in delta-8 cartridges, gummies, and cigarettes.


The regulations are a result of House Bill 544, which spells out how delta-8 and hemp-derived products can be sold, including age restrictions, as well as new rules about shipping and packaging.


“We’ve always been very particular with our packaging. We want to make sure it doesn’t look like it’s kid friendly,’ Robert Matheny at KY CPD Farmacy said.


Many products before appeared marketed to kids, with bright colors and images on the packages that caused lawmakers and medical professionals to sound the alarm on unchecked accessibility, which they believe led to overdoses across the state. They said vague labeling meant many people didn’t know what they were buying.


“Another regulation is you have to have a certificate of analysis available on the products, or at least in the store, and if they don’t have a certificate of analysis anyway, no, buy the product that that’s to keep you safe,” Matheny said.


COAs are documents meant to prove the products you are buying are what they say they are.


“The other thing the COAs does is make sure that each product, the dosage is correct because you don’t want your product varying wildly because that causes people not to medicate correctly. And when they’re using it for medication, it has to be consistent,” Matheny said.


Kentucky CBD Farmacy said that along with the new labeling, you must now be 21 years of age or older to purchase Delta-8, and those who sell online have to add one more step before customers can get their order.


“If we ship the product to you, which we never had to require our signature before, because it’s verified before you purchase. But that’s one regulation. So that’ll slow it and add a little cost to the shipping,” Matheny said.


Robert Matheny said the new regulations should not hinder most responsible businesses.
owners who sell THC products and will protect them from being accused of causing harm.

 

[momofthegoons]

Kentucky Governor Provides Medical Cannabis Program Update​

Kentucky’s medical cannabis program won’t go into effect until January 2025, but plans are being made now to ensure a smooth launch.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear spoke at a news conference on Oct. 7 and provided an update on the ongoing progress of the state’s medical cannabis program.

“We have established the Medical Cannabis Program, which is the office that is going to do this work, as part of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services,” said Beshear. “The office is preparing to communicate the implementation of this law with a new website that went live today. So, moving forward, you can get updates on the implementation through kymedcan.ky.gov.”

Beshear explained that the website offers “Guidelines and answers to frequently asked questions, for providers, growers, physicians, APRNs, and others with an interest in the program,” as well as information for the public to follow on X and LinkedIn as well. He also announced Sam Flynn as executive director for the medical cannabis program.

In March, Beshear signed a medical cannabis bill, Senate Bill 47, that made it the 38th state to do so. It legalizes cannabis use for patients suffering from cancer, ALS, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, post-traumatic stress disorder, fibromyalgia, glaucoma, and many more conditions.

The bill also called for the creation of the Team Kentucky Medical Cannabis Workgroup. “This workgroup’s purpose is to study evolving medical cannabis industry policy and the state of medical cannabis policy in our Commonwealth and around the country,” Beshear explained. “This group will include individuals from state and local government, as well as the private sector, with relevant experience in law enforcement, agriculture, healthcare, workforce and economic development.”

Beshear originally named the members of the workgroup back in June 2022, with 15 individuals in varying fields of expertise. The workgroup met for the first time on Oct. 4. Beshear’s push for cannabis goes back to November 2022, when he signed an executive order allowing patients to use medical cannabis as a treatment for specific conditions.


“Kentuckians with qualified medical conditions can continue to seek relief with medical cannabis by going out of state and following all those conditions that you need to carefully read in the executive order,” Beshear concluded at the news event. “All Kentuckians with qualifying medical conditions deserve a chance at a brighter, pain-free future, without ever having to turn to opioids. We know what those did to our state.”

According to recent data from the Kentucky Administrative Office of the Courts, presented by the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, more than 300,000 people in the state have been charged with a cannabis-related crime in the last 20 years. That amounts to an estimated two people every hour, every day. Through a wide scope, that means that during the data timeframe (between June 2022-July 2022), 3.1 million people were charged with crimes in Kentucky, and one out of every 10 of those were charged with a cannabis crime.

“Still, as much of the country has moved to more permissive policies, Kentucky continues to subject people to incarceration, burdensome fines, community supervision, and criminal charges for cannabis crimes. These consequences have lasting, harmful effects on people’s economic security, employment, health, housing, and ability to fully participate in community life. And these consequences often fall disproportionately on low-income and Black and Brown Kentuckians.”

Cannabis possession is the most common charge in the state, which could lead offenders to spend up to 45 days in jail and fined up to $250.

Like many other states, Kentucky is also looking into the potential of other substances to combat the harmful effects of opioids. In June, Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission (KYOAAC) chairman and executive director, Bryan Hubbard, announced that $42 million will go toward funding psychedelic research. “Kentucky must overcome the opioid epidemic by any and all means necessary,” Hubbard said. “As we begin the next phase in our fight against this crisis, we must explore any treatment option that demonstrates breakthrough therapeutic potential. Our goal is to investigate the creation of a new standard for treating opioid dependence, so we can finally end this cycle of pain in the Commonwealth.” The funds come from a $26 billion settlement from February 2022 2022 between large pharmaceutical companies and their part in the opioid epidemic.

Last month, the KYOAAC held a five-hour hearing to allow ibogaine patients to speak about their positive experiences using the substance. Twenty-three individuals presented their personal experiences, including former Kentucky Attorney General Ben Chandler, who is now the President and CEO of Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky. “We have not been able to solve the problem, in my judgment,” said Chandler. “It continues to be intractable, and we need as many tools as we can get. And I believe that a drug like ibogaine, from what I’ve read, it has the potential to make the difference that we need to have made—or at least a big difference.”

 

[Baron23]

"Senate Bill 47, which goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2025."

Well, we certainly wouldn't want to rush anything....like relief for acute chronic pain or nausea from chemo, just as a couple of utterly unimportant conditions. FFS

Governor Beshear calls for expansion of Kentucky Medical Marijuana program​

Kentucky Governor Proposes Expansion of Medical Marijuana Program with New Regulations and Qualifying Conditions.​

Governor Andy Beshear announced on Thursday calls for expansion of the state's medical marijuana program, including new regulations, new qualifying conditions, and more.


In a news release, the governor says his team filed 10 new regulations that will cover how cannabis businesses, cultivators, dispensaries, and more will operate in the Commonwealth. Kentuckians can read the regulations and find out how to participate in the regulatory process by clicking here.


The governor's office also says the Board of Physicians and Advisors and the Team Kentucky Medical Cannabis Workgroup unanimously voted to recommend an expansion of the list of qualifying conditions to the General Assembly.


In addition, Gov. Beshear announced a partnership with Tyler Technologies and Metrc to help meet the requirements of the law and establish the medical cannabis electronic monitoring system as well as the patient/caregiver registry.


The release also made mention of additions to the program's executive team, including a director for licensure and access, a director of enforcement and compliance, and an education and outreach coordinator.


An online cannabis zoning tool was also created that will help cannabis businesses find locations where they can operate. Current law prohibits cannabis businesses from locating their businesses within 1,000 feet of a primary and secondary school or daycare. The law also allows for local governments to issue additional zoning restrictions.


The regulatory framework was created ahead of the full implementation of Senate Bill 47, which goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2025.