Republican KY gubernatorial candidate Ryan Quarles endorses legalizing medical marijuana

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Republican Ryan Quarles on Tuesday endorsed legalizing medical marijuana in Kentucky, pledging to navigate the proposal past legislative resistance if he's elected governor.

"It’s time for Kentucky to pass a responsible medical marijuana piece of legislation to help benefit patients across Kentucky," Quarles said at a news conference outside the state Capitol.

Quarles' stand on the long-running medical marijuana issue comes as Republican candidates are trying to separate themselves from a crowded field in the GOP primary for governor.

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Quarles, in his second term as state agriculture commissioner, is among a dozen candidates vying for the GOP gubernatorial nomination in the May primary. Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear is seeking reelection in the Republican-trending Bluegrass State.

Medical cannabis legalization proposals have routinely died in Kentucky's Republican-led legislature. The House has shown its support in the past to legalize and strictly regulate the use of cannabis for a list of eligible medical conditions. Those proposals stalled in the Senate.

Ryan Quarles, Republican gubernatorial candidate and agriculture commissioner of Kentucky, has endorsed legalizing medical marijuana. 

Quarles on Tuesday called it an "access to care issue for many Kentuckians." In pushing for legalization, he said he would draw on his experience as a former state lawmaker and in overseeing the state's hemp program as agriculture commissioner.

"There’s no candidate better positioned in this race to have a conversation about what the framework would be like to help pass a responsible medical marijuana bill through the General Assembly," Quarles said.

Quarles said he thinks a majority of Kentuckians support legalizing medical marijuana. The narrowly tailored program should respect the "doctor-patient relationship" and keep "government out of it," he said.

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The medical cannabis program should be shaped in a way to benefit Kentucky farmers, he said. Quarles also pledged to work with law enforcement to "make sure we get it right."

Frustrated by legislative inaction, Beshear took executive action late last year to allow Kentuckians suffering from debilitating conditions to legally possess small amounts of medical marijuana properly purchased in another state. The governor called it a viable alternative to addictive medications in a state ravaged by the opioid crisis.

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Under his order, a Kentuckian needs certification from a licensed health care provider to verify a diagnosis for at least one of the series of conditions that qualify. Those include cancer, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The governor has said he would be "happy" to rescind his order if the legislature passes legislation to legalize medical cannabis. Supporters of legalizing medical marijuana have not made any headway yet in this year's 30-day legislative session, which crossed the halfway point last week.