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Henderson Hosting Event to Encourage Broader Support for Changing Marijuana Laws

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Supporters of new marijuana laws in Kentucky are trying to get the word out about the positive effects they say cannabis can have on the state.

They’re holding an event Tuesday night in Henderson featuring information and speakers from several groups advocating change to Kentucky’s current marijuana laws.

Grace Henderson is the director of the Kentucky Cannabis Freedom Coalition chapter in Henderson.She said many Kentuckians have changed their minds about medical marijuana after experiencing the benefits of the plant.

“Or if they don’t have any medical issues, then someone close to them does. Or they’ve been affected somehow by the opiate issue in Kentucky. You know, they’ve lost a loved one to overdose. Absolutely, the tide is changing in favor of medical marijuana.”

Henderson said the use of cannabis oil has helped her cope with Crohn’s disease and other ailments that have affected her nervous system.

“I’ve been able to go back to work on someone else’s payroll for the first time—even just part time—for the first time in eight years. And it’s given me back a lot of my function.”

To be legal under current Kentucky law, cannabis products must contain no more than 0.3 percent of THC—the psychoactive compound that gives users a high.

Henderson says a more relaxed law would benefit those suffering from a host of medical ailments, including cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder, and chronic pain.

Supporters of medical marijuana in Kentucky have introduced bills during recent legislative sessions, but those measures have never gained traction.

The cannabis educational forum is being held Tuesday night at the Preston Art Center in Henderson from 7 to 9 p.m., with doors opening at 6:30.

Kevin is the News Director at WKU Public Radio. He has been with the station since 1999, and was previously the Assistant News Director, and also served as local host of Morning Edition.
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