By Joe Blubaugh of KMUW
A group of Kansas residents aged 65 and older is calling on lawmakers to stop their long-standing opposition to the legalization of medical marijuana as well as Medicaid expansion.
Kansas is one of the few states where cannabis cannot be legally accessed. It’s also one of nine other states that hasn’t expanded Medicaid, a health insurance program.
Kansas Silver Haired Legislature met in Topeka at the Statehouse and voted on the issues they would advocate during the legislative sessions that begin in January.
The group claims that thousands of Kansans between 60 and 64 fall into the coverage gap. They are too young for Medicare, but make too much money for Medicaid.
In the resolution, it was stated that expanding the program will improve health outcomes through a reduction in the number of individuals without insurance.
Jacques Barber of Wyandotte County in the Silver Haired Legislature said that the rural areas of the State would greatly benefit from Medicaid expansion.
Barber stated that “the people who live in rural areas have been the hardest hit.” The hospitals in rural areas are smaller, and Medicaid payments help them to survive.
The issue has been around for many years. Laura Kelly intends to make the expansion of the state’s prisons her number one priority once again. However, Republican leaders in both chambers will likely be a roadblock.
Kansans increasingly recognize that legalizing medical marijuana and expanding Medicaid are sensible ways to help our neighbors who are suffering from chronic pain, PTSD and other medical conditions. Let’s make sure both are done in the next legislative session. https://t.co/i8hAJt1CpI
— Governor Laura Kelly 10 October 2023 HTML0
The group approved a Resolution urging legislators to legalize medical cannabis. They said it was vital for seniors suffering from conditions like Alzheimer’s and chronic pain. In testimony, supporters of the drug praised its effect on veterans with post-traumatic disorder.
One legislator expressed concern that crime and cartels would come to the state if marijuana was legalized. George Hanna is the Executive Director of the Kansas Chapter of The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. He said that prohibition created the drug trade, but legalization has reduced illegal marijuana distribution in other states.
Hanna stated that “we’ve seen a huge shift in social acceptance in most of the nation” and “thus reducing demand on the black market.”
The other resolutions include protecting the voting rights of seniors and reducing state income tax on social security. They also expand existing rights for grandparents to care for extended family.
The Kansas Silver Haired Legislature, a nonpartisan group of Kansans aged 60 and older who are advocates for senior issues in the state. The group was in its 41st meeting since the Kansas Legislature created it in 1982.
The local Area Agencies on Aging hosts elections to select the members of the group.
The story that was published first by KMUW.
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The article Kansas Silver Haired Legislature passes Medical Marijuana Legalization Resolution first appeared on Marijuana Moment.
