Kentucky has passed a bill to legalise medicinal cannabis, but a similar move has been thwarted in Kansas for now.
In November 2022, Kentucky's Democratic Governor Andy Beshear signed an executive order to legalise the possession and use of medicinal cannabis by eligible individuals in the state.
When the order went into effect in January he admitted it was an imperfect solution, but hoped it would pressure lawmakers into action.
Now Senate Bill 47, sponsored by Republican Senator Stephen West, has passed by 26 votes to 11, two days after the licensing and occupations committee passed the measure.
Under the bill, patients with a recommendation from a medical professional could qualify to use cannabis if they suffer from conditions including cancer, severe pain, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, muscle spasms or spasticity, chronic nausea or cyclical vomiting, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Registration would last up to 60 days, with the initial visit conducted in person.
Smoking and home cultivation would be prohibited, while there would be a 35% THC limit on flower products and a 70% cap for concentrates. Edibles could not exceed 10 milligrams per serving.
Patients could vape, possess a 30-day supply of cannabis in their residence and a 10-day supply on their person.
Medicinal cannabis would be exempt from sales and excise taxes with the program overseen, and licences issued, by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
The bill now needs approval by the House, which has previously supported medicinal cannabis measures, before hitting Beshear's desk for signing.
Meanwhile in Kansas, Democratic Governor Laura Kelly has urged the community to put pressure on lawmakers to legalise the medicine after another attempt to do so was thwarted last week.
Senators shelved a reform bill following a hearing that saw opposition from state law enforcement representatives who raised concerns about impaired driving, access in prisons and violent crime allegedly linked to cannabis.
While it looks unlikely that the proposal will be brought back to the Senate before the end of the 2023 session, Kelly said: "I encourage Kansans to call their state legislators and tell them to legalise medical marijuana this session."
