A Kentucky state senator reintroduced legislation on Thursday that would legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes in the Bluegrass State, and said that the bill has a chance of passage next year if the people will get behind it.

The bill, introduced by Sen. Perry Clark (D-Louisville), would make marijuana a Schedule II drug in Kentucky, recognizing it as having legitimate medical uses, while still being tightly restricted, reports Kevin Willis at WKU

Medical marijuana patient advocates point out that cannabis can help alleviate pain, stimulate appetite, and reduce nausea.

“It’s time to start the conversation,” Clark said when WKU Public Radio asked if he thought the bill stood a chance of passing next year.

“You asked what chance does it have … The chances are that if the people get behind it and there’s a groundswell of support, then it could happen,” Clark said. “Because it’s happened elsewhere through that same method.”

“Marijuana has positive medical benefits for patients dealing with illnesses like cancer, multiple sclerosis, and AIDs, to name a few,” Senator Clark said. “I want to allow this as another treatment option for those individuals.”

Senate Bill 129 , the Gatewood Galbraith Memorial Medical Marijuana Act, was originally introduced in January by Clark. Patients who are authorized by their doctors to use marijuana would be allowed to possess up to five ounces, purchased either from a state-licensed store or grown at home. Patients who cultivate their own would be limited to no more than five plants at a time.

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