Kansas lawmakers could consider medical marijuana pilot program

TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNW) – A medical marijuana pilot program is getting closer to moving up in the Kansas Statehouse.

Kansas Natural Remedies, a hemp cultivator based in Wichita, is working on a bill that would test the waters for legalizing medical marijuana.

“We’ve reformulated our strategy this year, and rather than try to convince legislators that this is good for Kansas, we’ve listened to their concerns, and we’ve addressed their concerns in this bill,” Sam Jones, Kansas Natural Remedies, said.

Jones says they are finalizing the bill this week. He was asked about key features.

“There have been children that have inadvertently eaten gummies and ended up in the ER. That’s been a concern. So, under this bill, edibles won’t be allowed. Another concern has been dispensaries, and dispensaries won’t be allowed under this bill either,” Jones said.

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Money will also be earmarked for research and education. The money will come from taxes collected through the program. He is also hoping to streamline the process for patients.

“Under this bill, they would go to their primary care physician that allows the patient to purchase medical cannabis,” Jones said.

Still, there are concerns the pilot program model could be too limited, especially when neighboring states have looser restrictions on marijuana.

Kelly Rippel, an advisor for the Kansas Cannabis Coalition, says his group is also getting closer to introducing a bill.

“A pilot program would limit access, and only maybe a certain amount of people would be qualified to get a recommendation from their doctor. A model that we’ve seen also shows a limited amount of operators in the state,” Rippel said.

“What this does is it creates a legal framework so that patients can purchase it legally in Kansas, rather than going to other states and bringing it back and becoming a criminal,” Jones said.

It’s been an uphill battle to convince Republican leaders in Kansas to legalize weed, but marijuana advocates are hoping for action this year.

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