Kentucky: Help Cannabidiol Bill Get To Senate Floor

On Wednesday the Senate Health and Welfare Committee held a hearing on Cannabidiol Oil. Dr. Bret Smith from The University of Kentucky Epilepsy Department testified about cannabidiol research. Committee chair, Senator Julie Denton, will call this bill up for a committee vote with enough support. If it clears the Health and Welfare Committee it will go to the Senate floor for a full vote.

How To Help

Call the legislative hotline at 1-800-372-7181 and tell the operator to leave a message for all members of the Health and Welfare Committee asking them to pass SB 124 favorably from committee.

Medical Hemp and Medical Cannabis

There are differing opinions among activists about the merits and shortcomings of CBD only bills. Though I appreciate all sides of this argument, I come down in support of both the medical cannabis and medical hemp bills (CBD bill). I see these as separate issues because under state and federal guidelines many CBD strains qualify as hemp and not cannabis. Why advocate for hemp as marijuana, especially if doing so could unnecessarily delay access, possibly for years?

Passage of Medical Cannabis Bills Equally Important

Though CBD strains are helpful for conditions like cancer, epilepsy, Crohn's and colitis, and diabetes, many conditions, including some of those mentioned, also benefit from the addition of a full spectrum cannabis strain. Hemp and cannabis strains appear to work in synergy and make one another's components work even better.

For example, as a cancer patient CBD could help me, but the THCA in full spectrum strains would add additional cancer fighting properties. As a mother and a teacher I don't want to smoke anything or get high. But even with the cannabis strains there are options. I could take a full spectrum cannabis oil extract from raw plant. This method would leave THC in its precursor THCA form, which has no psychoactive components but retains the medicinal properties of THC.

For other conditions the smoked form is the most medicinal means of delivery. You never know which configuration your doctor will find works best for you. That's why it is important to keep all strains and delivery method options open in legislation. Please support SB 43 and HB 350, The Cannabis Compassion Act, as well.

Press the Fight,


Suzanne De Gregorio
Louisville, Kentucky
February 22, 2014