At the end of April, Kansas state lawmakers met in a bicameral committee. Their task: determine the future of medical marijuana in the state. While both the Senate and the House proposed legislation, the committee couldn’t come to an agreement. Each version of the bill contained too many technical differences.

Last year, the Kansas State House managed to pass a medical marijuana bill, but it failed to make its way through the Senate.  It is clear, however, that many people in the state are in favor of marijuana legalization in some form. 

Governor Support

Governor Laura Kelly, D, is in favor of medical marijuana. She has shown support previously and suggested the revenue from legal, medical cannabis could support Medicaid expansion within the state. In 2020, Kelly said she would not personally advocate for recreational legalization. However, she wouldn’t veto a recreational cannabis bill if it landed on her desk. 

Differences

Both versions of the proposed bill have many similarities like the decriminalization of possession for up to 1.5 ounces by a person without a prescription. The subsequent fine would remain capped at $400. Both versions also propose a 35% THC by dry weight cap for all source plant material. 

Many of the differences between the bills are technical, but could make a difference for patients and providers. For example, the version of the bill from the House would require patients to have an ongoing relationship with a physician for a minimum of six months prior to receiving a valid recommendation for medical cannabis, whereas the Senate would allow recommendations to be issued upon first visit.

While the state usually has only one annual veto session in late April, lawmakers will return on May 23, 2022, to complete their legislative session. While this means there could be hope for medical marijuana legislation from this session, it seems unlikely a compromise will be found soon enough. It appears more likely that medical marijuana will have to wait till next session before it sees the governor’s desk. As more information becomes available, we will update you with the latest.

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