A bill to give Kentucky residents access to medical marijuana could go up for a full state House vote as soon as this week.
The state’s House Judiciary Committee cleared the bill a 17-1 vote last week. Now, the full House is expected to vote on it and, if approved, it will head to the state Senate. Governor Andy Beshear has indicated he will sign the bill into law if it passes the Senate, which would make Kentucky the 34th state to allow medical use.
“[Kentucky is] a state that’s really been hit hard by the opioid epidemic and patients have been rallying and lobbying in Frankfort for many years imploring lawmakers to pass a medical cannabis law,” Marijuana Policy Project Legislative Analyst Matt Simon told Cheddar Tuesday.
Simon said the bill would prohibit smoking cannabis, but would allow patients to purchase whole flower cannabis for other uses, like vaping and cooking into edibles, Simon said.
Some lawmakers initially thought the anti-smoking clause was too restrictive, but the compromise ultimately made it into the latest version of the bill.
Members of the Kappa League mentoring program at Wyandanch Memorial High School in Long Island, NY are preparing for an educational trip to Ghana. Principal Paul Sibblies is on a mission to enrich his students' lives to put some of them in touch with their roots. "When you invest in young people, then it's the greatest investment you can make," he said.
A group of 15 students recently graduated from SANYS U., a six-week program held by the Self Advocacy Association of New York State. The course helps people with disabilities to advocate on their own behalf, learning more about their rights, legislation and issues that matter most.
The minivan is turning 40 years old this year. While it made up just 1.8 percent of the car market in 2022, that number could begin to tick up, as more families increase interest in the car's advantages. Cheddar News' senior reporter Michelle Castillo takes a deeper look at the minivan's lineage.
Cheddar News correspondent Shannon LaNier rings in the Thai New Year at 11 Tigers in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan. The restaurant is one of the only locations in New York City to celebrate.
