TOPEKA (KSNT) – Kansas’ current marijuana laws could soon be changing.
Kansas lawmakers are considering two new cannabis bills introduced earlier this week.
Senate Bill 171, also known as the Veterans First Medical Cannabis Act, would allow people to grow marijuana and for Kansas dispensaries to sell it but only to veterans with a valid medical card.
Meanwhile, in the house a new cannabis amnesty bill, House Bill 2363, would essentially decriminalize marijuana. House Bill 2363 would release people convicted of marijuana crimes from their sentences and expunge any marijuana-related arrests and convictions from their records. House Minority Leader Vic Miller introduced the decriminalization bill.
Miller says passing these bills could be the first step toward the state eventually legalizing cannabis.
“If we were able to legalize it then we could regulate it like we do alcohol. We could tax like we do alcohol,” Miller said. “Then there will be some arguments about legalizing it if we aren’t throwing people in jail anymore.”
Kansas is one of three states left in the country that does not permit some form of medical marijuana use. Missouri legalized recreational marijuana last year.