Kentucky governor forms medical marijuana advisory committee

Kentucky’s governor appointed 17 people to serve as his advisers on establishing a medical marijuana policy for the state.

The Team Kentucky Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee will advise Gov. Andy Beshear on how best to provide the state’s residents with MMJ products, according to a news release.

Members of the committee were chosen based on their relevant experience in health care, addiction treatment, cannabis advocacy and law enforcement, among others.

Secretary of the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet Kerry Harvey and Secretary of the Public Protection Cabinet Ray Perry have been nominated to serve as committee co-chairs.

The other 17 members are:

• Dr. Amber Cann, pharmacy coach and adjunct professor, Spalding University.
• Julie Cantwell, advocate with Kentuckians for Medical Marijuana.
• Jennifer Cave, member, Stites and Harbison law firm.
• Eric Crawford, MMJ advocate.
• Cookie Crews, Department of Corrections commissioner.
• Dr. John Farmer, addiction treatment provider.
• Dr. Jonathan Hatton, family medicine.
• Brian Jointer, certified public health worker.
• Dr. Nick Kouns, internal medicine.
• Alex Kreit, director of the Chase Center on Addiction Law and Policy, Northern Kentucky University.
• Dr. Linda McClain, OB-GYN.
• Andrew Sparks, former assistant U.S. attorney.
• Dee Dee Taylor, CEO of 502 Hemp Wellness Center.
• Julie Wallace, attorney for Union County.
• Kristin Wilcox, co-founder of Kentucky Moms for Medical Cannabis.

The committee will soon begin traveling the state to meet with Kentucky residents and obtain feedback regarding medical cannabis.

The formation of the committee comes on the heels of medical marijuana legislation passing the Kentucky House in March but stalling in the state Senate.

That led the governor to say he will create an MMJ program through executive order, if need be.

Source: https://mjbizdaily.com/kentucky-governor-forms-medical-marijuana-advisory-committee/