Indiana takes small step toward legalizing medical marijuana as House votes to study issue

Indiana lawmakers inched toward legalizing medical marijuana Thursday as the House unanimously voted to study the possibility before next year's legislative session.

While the resolution is far from an endorsement of legalizing the substance, it signals a new-found openness to the idea. Neither chamber has voted to study the topic in recent years.

No one argued against the marijuana resolution, and even the most conservative lawmakers voted for it.

The resolution was offered by one of the top House Republican leaders, Majority Floor Leader Rep. Matt Lehman — another favorable sign for the future legalization of medical marijuana.

► More: 7 heady issues for the 2018 Indiana legislature: Pot, booze and more

► More: First year of Trump-Pence brings bountiful blessings, religious conservatives say

► Hoosier Politics newsletter: Get more politics coverage sent straight to your inbox every Thursday

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 29 states have public medical marijuana programs.

Since the legislation is a House Resolution, it doesn't need to be voted on by the Senate.

That means if three of the four legislative leaders from both parties agree to study medical marijuana, it will be assigned to a study committee this summer.

Both House minority leader Rep. Terry Goodin and Senate Democrat leader Sen. Tim Lanane said they support a medical marijuana study.

House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, supports studying medical marijuana as well, but said his desire to study the drug does not necessarily mean he supports legalization.

“Honestly my opinion about the advisability hasn’t necessarily changed but my opinion as to whether or not we need to study the issue likely has. Our own surgeon general called for a study of the issue," Bosma said at the start of legislative session. "So I think we need to take a look at the effects and I support a study."

Lehman touted the bill as the first step toward potentially alleviating Hoosiers' pain.

Bosma, however, emphasized that the study committee wasn't a sign House Republicans will pass a medical marijuana bill anytime soon. He also said he doesn't currently support medical marijuana legalization.

“I think we just need to know a lot more about it before we do anything," Bosma said. "My mind could be changed, but it’ll be based on facts not opinions.”

Senate Republican leadership is less supportive of the idea and does not plan to vote on studying it this session. Senate Leader David Long, R-Fort Wayne, said there have been problems in states that have legalized it.

"It may get studied, but the Senate isn’t going to talk about it over here this year," Long said. "... I think our caucus has pretty strongly said we don’t want to legalize it."

Gov. Eric Holcomb and Attorney General Curtis Hill have both voiced their opposition to legalizing medical marijuana.

A separate bill introduced by Rep. Jim Lucas, R-Seymour, would legalize medical marijuana, but so far it has not been scheduled for a committee hearing. He was the first GOP lawmaker to formally propose such legislation in at least five years.

There are at least 10 other pending bills related to the legalization or regulation of cannabidiol, a marijuana plant extract with minimal THC that can't produce a "high."

Call IndyStar reporter Kaitlin Lange at (317) 432-9270. Follow her on Twitter: @kaitlin_lange.