medical marijuana

Medical marijuana is becoming a perennial debate in Topeka, and it’s annually unclear how likely it is for a bill to pass. The Kansas House has passed a plan before, but it's the Senate where the roadblock remains.

While thousands of patients cross the border with medical cards in hand, countless more are buying recreational cannabis without a prescription. That’s unlikely to change as some Kansas lawmakers signal resistance to medical legalization in 2025.

Medical marijuana remains illegal in Kansas, and groups representing Kansas police chiefs, sheriffs and peace officers want it to stay that way — claiming it will create black market activity and crime. However, a majority of Kansans support legal weed.

Oklahoma lawmakers are pushing through legislation aimed at Oklahoma’s medical marijuana industry. These efforts come after Oklahomans voted down recreational cannabis last month.

The bipartisan legislation is an expansion on the state’s 2015 “Compassionate Use” law, which has allowed a growing number of patients to legally use cannabis to treat debilitating symptoms of conditions such as epilepsy, autism, cancer and PTSD.

A Kansas Senate committee has tabled debate on a bill that would implement a medical marijuana program in 2025. That means the legislation is unlikely to advance before state lawmakers finish their work in early April, leaving advocates and patients upset.

The road to even partial legalization of marijuana has been a long and rocky one. Last session, the Kansas House approved a medical marijuana bill, while a Senate proposal died in committee.

Since Oklahomans passed medical marijuana in 2018, 8,630 growers have opened in the state, serving nearly 10% of the state’s population with medical marijuana licenses. The rapid expansion is stressing rural electric and water infrastructure.

Lawmakers also increased the allowable level of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. But not by much.

TOPEKA, Kansas — When it comes to medical marijuana, Kansas may end up looking more like Ohio than Missouri — with edibles and topicals only, no smoking...