Activist Jim Bartell began advocating for what's known as Ryan's Law after his son Ryan was diagnosed with stage four cancer and was initially treated with strong painkillers that kept him asleep during the final weeks he was alive. Getting him transferred to a hospital that would allow the use of cannabis for pain meant precious time with his son before he passed.
Speaking to an interim health committee, the elder Bartell said, in states with medical cannabis laws like Kentucky, eligible patients should already be afforded access, but that isn't always the case.
"Really right now any hospital can can provide that medication if the patient qualifies and wants it. But the problem is some hospitals don't want to do that and that's why they come up with policies like the first hospital that Ryan was in had a policy against it. So this bill is to avoid that," he said.
The chair of the Kentucky Health Committee, Northern Kentucky Republican Rep. Kim Moser, appeared open to pursuing Ryan's Law, which would ensure that hospitals did grant access to those who are eligible under Kentucky's medical marijuana law.
The list of conditions that can be cited in medical cannabis licenses was recently expanded by Gov. Andy Beshear, who added 15 conditions to the existing six. The most broad categories are terminal illnesses, neuropathies, and chronic pain.