KY Sen. Calls Cannabis 'Scourge Of The Earth,' MMJ Research In UT, THC Limits In OK

Medical Cannabis Research In Utah

A project proposed by Rep. Jennifer Dailey-Provost and Sen. Evan Vickers to create a Center for Medical Cannabis Research at the University of Utah was approved by the legislature and the governor.

This center aims to address the limited research on medical cannabis in Utah and to provide more information to healthcare providers and patients. The project has received an appropriation of $650,000 from the Department of Health's Qualified Patient Enterprise Fund.

“I figured if Kentucky can do it … we can create one in Utah as well,” Dailey-Provost said. “What we hear from providers, especially physicians, nurse practitioners, PAs who can recommend [cannabis] as a medication is that they just don’t feel like they have enough information to really confidently recommend this as part of a comprehensive health care plan."

Kentucky Senator: Marijuana, 'The Scourge Of The Earth'

On Thursday, March 16, the Kentucky State Senate made history by passing a bill to legalize medical marijuana in the state, despite being a conservative legislature.

State Sen. Gary Boswell voted against the approval because marijuana is still illegal at the federal level, calling cannabis the "scourge of the Earth."
He argued that "recreation" is "something like biking or hiking... Is it recreational to smoke marijuana?”

The bill was "too broad," Boswell said, adding, "It would allow anyone with chronic pain to use medical marijuana. Everybody over the age of 18 has chronic pain. If your back is hurting, you have chronic pain.”

THC Limits In OK

The Oklahoma legislature is considering several bills related to medical marijuana this session.

One of these bills, Senate Bill 440, proposes to limit the potency of THC in medical marijuana and related products sold in dispensaries.

The bill passed in the Senate with a vote of 43 to 4 and will now be reviewed by the House. If passed, the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority will be responsible for establishing these rules.

Georgia Medical Cannabis Commission Faces Scrutiny

A Senate committee in Georgia has reportedly approved changes to a bill that aims to improve the state's medical cannabis program.

The bill proposes making the Georgia Medical Cannabis Commission subject to the state open records act and increasing the number of licenses for companies to grow and sell medical marijuana.

Photo by Filip Mishevski on Unsplash.