Medical marijuana bill stalls in Kansas Senate

Medical marijuana legalization in Kansas has once again stalled this year. A joint plan from the House and Senate that would legalize cannabis medically, is now stuck in the committee after a meeting was held to go over differences of both chamber’s proposals. 

As the legislative session comes to a close, lawmakers have now found themselves still in the early stages of carving out the piece of legislation. According to a spokesman for Senate leadership, Mike Pirner, the bill is not likely to gain any momentum when lawmakers meet again on May 23 to officially end the session. 

The House version of the bill laid out a detailed plan for restrictions and regulations for advertisements. Some of which include a requirement for warnings for pregnant women and individuals with psychiatric or emotional disorders, a ban on advertisements within 10 miles of highways that cross state lines, and disallows the price of products to be displayed on billboards. Also, unlike the House proposal, the Senate bill specifies a minimum and maximum square footage for growing facilities.    

Another meeting on the bill has not been scheduled, and along with several differences both House and Senate members need to agree on, the bill’s chances look slim.