King, Cody

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University of Kentucky

Agriculture (/full-blog/category/Agriculture)By: Cody King“Too many Kentuckians are suffering from debilitating Physical and Mental illnesses …2 018 is theyear when Kentucky finally steps up on medical marijuana. We have to get this done to helpKentuckians who are hurting,” Allison Grimes stated in a WKYT article.[i](applewebdata://B620CCCF-59B2-4B90-958D-58F9356FA25A#_edn1) However, members of theRepublican party think that Allison Grimes is out of line for her comments as Secretary of the State.[ii] (applewebdata://B620CCCF-59B2-4B90-958D-58F9356FA25A#_edn2) Beyond the ongoingmoral debate surrounding medical marijuana, Kentucky now faces a major financial crisis that isaffecting the state’s pension system. “The decision to withhold the report comes just days after theAssociate Press reported that the state’s other main pension board—the Kentucky Teachers’Retirement system—released a report on the bill by its consultants that concluded the bill wouldcost tax payers an extra $4.4 billion over the next 20 years.”[iii] (applewebdata://B620CCCF-59B2-4B90-958D-58F9356FA25A#_edn3) With this framework in mind, it is time for Kentuckyrepresentatives to put aside their party preference and deliberate about the benefits legalizing medicalmarijuana will have on the economy.A major social change is currently occurring in the United States on the understandings of thebenefits of medical marijuana. Former Kentucky Basketball superstar Karl Anthony-Towns voicedhis opinion to reporters about the potential of having medical marijuana cleared for NBA players, “Ilook at it from my experience with it. I’ve never smoked…But I deal with kids all the time at autisticschools, Reed Academy in New Jersey. My girlfriend has an autistic nephew, and you realize thoseproperties of marijuana can do a lot of good for kids and for adults.”[iv](applewebdata://B620CCCF-59B2-4B90-958D-58F9356FA25A#_edn4) According to KentuckyState Representative John Sims, “Kentucky is getting left behind on this issue. Already 29 states andthe District of Columbia have enacted medical marijuana legislation to help their people…theresearch is done. The studies have been conducted. It works, and it is time we end our idling andstart having conversations to bringing medical marijuana to the Commonwealth.”[v](applewebdata://B620CCCF-59B2-4B90-958D-58F9356FA25A#_edn5)January 22, 2018TIME FOR SERIOUSDELIBERATION: MEDICALMARIJUANA AND THEBENEFITS ON KENTUCKY’SFAILING PENSION SYSTEMH O M E  ( / )S U B M I S S I O N S  ( / S U B M I S S I O N S )A B O U TJ O U R N A L  ( / A B O U T )M AST H E A D  ( / N E W- PAG E )P R O S P E C T I V E  M E M B E R S  ( / P R O S P E C T I V E - M E M B E R S )S U B S C R I B E  ( / S U B S C R I B E )STA F F  R E S O U R C E S  ( / STA F F - R E S O U R C E S )P U B L I C AT I O N SP U B L I C AT I O N  A R C H I V E  ( / P U B L I C AT I O N - A R C H I V E )VO LU M E  1  ( 2 0 0 9 )  ( / VO LU M E - 1 - 2 0 0 8 - 2 0 0 9 )VO LU M E  2  ( 2 0 1 0 )  ( / VO LU M E - 2 - 2 0 0 9 - 2 0 1 0 )VO LU M E  3  ( 2 0 1 1 )  ( / VO LU M E - 3 - 2 0 1 0 - 2 0 1 1 )VO LU M E  4  ( 2 0 1 2 )  ( / VO LU M E - 4 - 2 0 1 1 - 2 0 1 2 )VO LU M E  5  ( 2 0 1 3 )  ( / VO LU M E - 5 - 2 0 1 2 - 2 0 1 3 )VO LU M E  6  ( 2 0 1 4 )  ( / VO LU M E - 6 - 2 0 1 3 - 2 0 1 4 )VO LU M E  7  ( 2 0 1 5 )  ( / VO LU M E - 7 - 2 0 1 4 - 2 0 1 5 )VO LU M E  8  ( 2 0 1 6 )  ( / VO LU M E - 8 - 2 0 1 5 - 2 0 1 6 )VO LU M E  9  ( 2 0 1 7 )  ( / VO LU M E - 9 - 2 0 1 6 - 2 0 1 7 )VO LU M E  1 0  ( 2 0 1 8 )  ( / VO LU M E - 1 0 - 2 0 1 8 )SY M P O S I U MI N F O R M AT I O N  ( / SY M P O S I U M )B LO GF U L L  B LO G  ( / F U L L - B LO G )B LO G  A R C H I V E  ( / B LO G - A R C H I V E - 1 )http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-special-session-medical-marijuana-20170731-story.htmlAs Sims stated, many state economies are already benefiting from taxing medical marijuana. Forinstance, in Arizona, the state is applying a 6.6% tax on medical marijuana, which is estimated togenerate approximately $40 million, and will only be issued to eligible patients.[vi](applewebdata://B620CCCF-59B2-4B90-958D-58F9356FA25A#_edn6) While we can onlyspeculate how much revenue Kentucky would gain by legalizing medical marijuana, it is a goodstarting point for Kentucky Legislatures to seriously deliberate about. With Kentucky on the brinkof bankruptcy, Governor Bevin’s administration admits that it is not the economy that is the issue,but that Kentucky’s tax base is too narrow.[vii] (applewebdata://B620CCCF-59B2-4B90-958D-58F9356FA25A#_edn7) Thus, instead of gutting the Kentucky Teacher Retirement Plan, the StatePension Plan, or raising taxes, the legislatures need to consider rational benefits passing a billlegalizing medicinal marijuana would have not only on patients that seriously need it for their healthconditions, but also to protect approximately 42,000 public school teachers and countless currentand former state government workers’ retirement.[viii] (applewebdata://B620CCCF-59B2-4B90-958D-58F9356FA25A#_edn8) Kentucky’s current lottery system helps fund millions of students in Kentucky. While manyKentuckians are adamantly opposed to gambling being permitted in Kentucky, the lottery systemhas provided substantial benefits to thousands of Kentucky residents. According to Governor Bevinin the Kentucky Lottery Corporation’s Annual Report, 2016 was a-breaking year with $253 millionaccrued and directly helping students receive scholarships to attend universities in the Bluegrass.[ix](applewebdata://B620CCCF-59B2-4B90-958D-58F9356FA25A#_edn9) So, although legalizingmarijuana continues to be a hot topic in the Bluegrass, it is important to emphasize what KarlAnthony-Towns alluded to, this is not for individuals that wish to smoke marijuana recreationally,this is to assist patients that seriously need help.In creating the bill, Kentucky Legislatures can focus on promulgating adjudicatory and rulemakingauthority to a state agency, like the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, in order to oversee andprovide their expertise to ensure that medicinal marijuana is not abused by doctors who proscribe it.By doing this, like with the lottery system, Kentucky will be able to adequately assist needyindividuals that suffer from a chronic or severe illnesses, which medical marijuana has beenscientifically proven to provide. Additionally, this will ensure Kentucky teachers and state workerscan sleep safe knowing their pension plans will still be in place.[i] (applewebdata://B620CCCF-59B2-4B90-958D-58F9356FA25A#_ednref1) Grimes Pushing forMedical Marijuana in Kentucky, WKYT (Nov. 16, 2017),http://www.wkyt.com/content/news/Grimes--457947033.html.COMMENTS (1)  Subscribe via e-mailTagged: medical marijauna (/full-blog/tag/medical+marijauna), recreationalmarijuana (/full-blog/tag/recreational+marijuana), marijuana (/full-blog/tag/marijuana), allison grimes (/full-blog/tag/allison+grimes), matt bevin(/full-blog/tag/matt+bevin), kentucky pension (/full-blog/tag/kentucky+pension)0 Likes  In my opinion its already 2018, and i think cannabis should be legalized in most of thecountry right now. Not only for giving them what they want but the cannabis help us in ourdaily routine. No wonder why many people allow marijuana to be legalized. And as i readhere https://www.worldwide-marijuana-seeds.com/blogs/marijuana-news/what-is-the-biggest-threat-to-the-marijuana-industry that most of the country used marijuana in medicalpurpose, they also used CBD oil and they used it as an ingredients to the food. So whymarijuana cant be legalized?[ii] (applewebdata://B620CCCF-59B2-4B90-958D-58F9356FA25A#_ednref2) Id.[iii] (applewebdata://B620CCCF-59B2-4B90-958D-58F9356FA25A#_ednref3) Tom Loftus, BevinAdministration Refuses to Release Report on Pension Bill’s Cost to Taxpayers, Courier J. (Nov. 13, 2017),http://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/2017/11/13/kentucky-pension-reform-report-withheld-reform-bills-impact-government-workers/857669001/.[iv] (applewebdata://B620CCCF-59B2-4B90-958D-58F9356FA25A#_ednref4) Karl-AnthonyTowns Advocates for Benefits of Medical Marijuana Use, NBA Media Rep. (Nov. 15, 2017),http://www.nba.com/article/2017/11/15/karl-anthony-towns-minnesota-timberwolves-advocates-medical-marijuana#/.[v] (applewebdata://B620CCCF-59B2-4B90-958D-58F9356FA25A#_ednref5) WKYT, supra notei.[vi] (applewebdata://B620CCCF-59B2-4B90-958D-58F9356FA25A#_ednref6) Taxing MedicalMarijuana in Arizona, Ariz. Hemp Center, http://mmjaz.com/Patients/arizona-medical-marijuana-tax.html (last visited Nov. 17, 2017).[vii] (applewebdata://B620CCCF-59B2-4B90-958D-58F9356FA25A#_ednref7) Adam Beam,Kentucky Likely to Have Small Budget Deficit, Officials Say, Associated Press (Apr. 10, 2017),https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/kentucky/articles/2017-04-10/kentucky-likely-to-have-small-budget-deficit-officials-say.[viii] (applewebdata://B620CCCF-59B2-4B90-958D-58F9356FA25A#_ednref8) KentuckyEducation Facts, Ky. Dep’t. of Educ. (May 2, 2017),https://education.ky.gov/comm/edfacts/Pages/default.aspx.[ix] (applewebdata://B620CCCF-59B2-4B90-958D-58F9356FA25A#_ednref9) Fiscal Year 2016Annual Report, Ky. Lottery Corp. (2016),https://www.kylottery.com/export/kylmod/galleries/documents/KYLottery_annual_report/KLC_annual-report_2016.pdf (citing Governor Bevin’s letter on page two of the annual report addressingthe benefits of the Kentucky Lottery system).   ShareNewest FirstPreview  P O S T  C O M M E N T …Bella Dushner  11 months ago · 1 Like   Newer PostDonald Trump Withdraws U.S. from Trans-Pacific Partnership (/full-blog/miller)Older PostAtlantic Sunrise Pipeline ContinuesConstruction After DC Circuit Decision (/full-blog/peeblesblog)6 3 1  S O U T H  L I M E S TO N E ,  L E X I N G TO N ,  KY4 0 5 0 8 ( 8 5 9 )  2 5 7 - 4 7 4 7 B LO G . K J E A N R L @ G M A I L . C O M  ( M A I LTO : B LO G . K J E A N R L @ G M A I L . C O M )SEARCHABLE ARCHIVE ( /PUBLICATION-ARCHIVE-1)

Time for Serious Deliberation: Medical Marijuana and the Benefits on Kentucky’s Failing Pension System

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Time for Serious Deliberation: Medical Marijuana and the Benefits on Kentucky’s Failing Pension System

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