Advancement in Cannabinoid Therapy

Kentucky took two big steps forward this last week in its efforts to legalize medical marijuana.

On Feb. 25, Senate Bill 124 (SB124) passed in the Senate, making it the first medical marijuana bill to advance in the Kentucky legislature. SB124 would authorize the University of Kentucky and University of Louisville’s medical hospitals to administer Cannabidiol (CBD) oil to patients enrolled in a U.S. Food and Drug Administration clinical trial, including children.

Kentucky would be the second state to implement a CBD oil policy that includes children; currently, only Colorado offers the program. As a result, Kentucky is suffering from a migration of families fleeing for the only medicine available to their children that is proven to work safely and effectively.

However, Quantum 9’s quality assurance experts believe that while this is a step forward, SB124 is far too specific and leaves thousands untreated. Rather, Quantum 9’s QA team is hoping to see continued support for House Bill 350 (HB350), sponsored by Representative Mary Lou Marzian.

Members of the House Health and Welfare Committee when they voted 9-5 on Feb. 27 to approve HB350, a full medical marijuana bill that would protect qualifying patients from arrest, will allow patients to cultivate limited amounts of marijuana plants, and provide safe, legal access to medical marijuana through state-regulated dispensaries.

Approved conditions to be treated with medical marijuana under HB 350 include terminal illness, peripheral neuropathy, anorexia, cancer, glaucoma, HIV positive status, AIDS, hepatitis C, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, agitation of Alzheimer’s disease, PTSD, diabetes, fibromyalgia, autism, ulcerative colitis, injuries that significantly interfere with daily activities, treatment of specific symptoms of a chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition or other medical conditions added by the state.

HB350 will be introduced on the Senate floor this week. A similar bill, SB43, introduced by Senator Perry Clark, was introduced on Jan 7, 2014. The head of Quantum 9’s quality assurance team is a scientific advisor to Sen. Clark, and Quantum 9 helped write a significant portion of SB43 legislation. Hopefully, SB43 will gain traction in the near future.

Quantum 9’s QA team says that while public opinion has always been high in regard to legalizing medical marijuana, it is now between 70 and 80 percent.