Only specially certified doctors could recommend cannabis, and only to their long-term patients.
by Stephen Koranda, Kansas News Service
Kansas stands among a shrinking handful of states that makes cannabis an outlaw drug, even as a medical tool.
Lawmakers trying to overcome resistance to any legalization are looking at adopting medical marijuana rules so tight that, for instance, only patients who’ve been with specially certified doctors for a full year could get it.
A bill in the House borrows and tweaks strict limitations tried in other states. Backers hope the plan can overcome long-standing opposition from some conservative Republicans and law enforcement groups.
Republican Senate President Ty Masterson said he doesn’t want a system where anyone can get a marijuana recommendation.
“You don’t really believe we have that many 18-year-olds with glaucoma that need to smoke weed for a medical benefit,” he said. “That’s recreational.”
To win over people like Masterson, this year’s bill borrows restrictive policies tried elsewhere.
From Ohio, the latest Kansas plan takes the idea that only physicians with a specific certification could recommend marijuana for about two dozen conditions ranging from seizures to chronic pain. Plus, the marijuana could not be smoked, but would be available in other forms like edibles and oils.
The Kansas plan borrows an idea from New Jersey’s medical marijuana law and makes it even more limiting. Patients would need to see one of those certified physicians for a year before getting a recommendation for marijuana. State regulators could also create alternate ways to establish that physician relationship in the future.
The limits have attracted support from some Republicans. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has also said she supports legalizing medical marijuana. She proposed using revenue from medical cannabis to pay for Medicaid expansion, but that bill isn’t getting traction.
Under the plan being considered in the House, Kansas would legalize medicinal marijuana with some of the tighter rules in the country. Even with that, it still must overcome opposition from some conservative Republicans and influential law enforcement groups.
Law enforcement groups say because marijuana is illegal under federal law, state legalization establishes a conflict. It also creates other issues, like requiring a database so officers can verify medical marijuana ID cards.
In Ohio, a law that was nearly as restrictive as the Kansas proposal overcame opposition and took effect two years ago.
“We thought we were late to the dance. You guys are way behind us,” said Ohio advocate Mary Jane Borden, who helped the Ohio Rights Group push for that state’s law.
Borden said the tight rules in Ohio create some challenges. In some areas, there’s a shortage of doctors with a marijuana certification and places to buy cannabis.
Kansas could end up in the same spot, leaving people in rural areas with no practical place to get a doctor’s recommendation or supplies.
“I would really consider, ‘How do you reach the people?’” Borden said, “‘the suffering patients, in those outlying counties?’”
In Ohio, the most common use for medical marijuana is treatment of chronic pain.
Eric Voth is a retired Kansas physician who specialized in internal medicine, pain and addiction. He said claims of pain can be a loophole. He said the law should have additional oversight to regulate physicians recommending medical cannabis.
“First of all, what constitutes the pain?” Voth said in an interview. “What is required for the diagnosis … and the supervision?”
Voth wants most of the uses in the bill removed and restrictions added for the use of marijuana to treat pain. He’d also only allow lower concentrations of THC, the chemical that makes people high.
Most of all, Voth is telling lawmakers not to give in to the legalization movement.
“I’d hold it up as a badge of honor,” Voth said, “to say we’ve held back this tidal wave.”
Stephen Koranda is the Statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter @Stephen_Koranda. The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their connection to public policy. Kansas News Service stories and photos may be republished by news media at no cost with proper attribution and a link to ksnewsservice.org. See more athttps://www.kcur.org/news/2021-03-22/kansas-considers-making-medical-marijuana-legal-but-very-hard-to-get.
National Weather Service graphicWyandotte County could receive from a tenth to a quarter-inch of rain through Thursday evening. (National Weather Service graphic)
Today’s forecast is cool and cloudy, with the possibility of showers late tonight and Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.
The high will reach 53 today, and temperatures will be similar Thursday, then jump to a high of 64 on Friday, the weather service said. On Monday, temperatures could reach 70.
Thursday’s rain amounts will be from a tenth to a quarter-inch, according to the weather service. Rain also is in the forecast Friday and Friday night, with a tenth to quarter-inch possible. The rest of the weekend should be dry.
Today, it will be cloudy with a high near 53 and a west northwest wind of 8 to 10 mph, the weather service said.
Tonight, there is a 50 percent chance of rain, with a low of 43, according to the weather service. There will be a light and variable wind. Less than a tenth of an inch of rain is possible.
Thursday, there is a 60 percent chance of rain, mainly before 1 p.m., the weather service said. The high will be near 54 with a north northeast wind of 5 to 8 mph. Between a tenth and quarter-inch of rain is possible.
Thursday night, the low will be around 38 with a north northwest wind of 6 mph, becoming calm in the evening, according to the weather service.
Friday, there is a 30 percent chance of rain after 1 p.m., with a high near 64, the weather service said. A light southeast wind will become south southeast 9 to 14 mph in the morning. Winds may gust up to 22 mph. Less than a tenth of an inch of rain is expected.
Friday night, there is a 50 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms, with a low of 48, according to the weather service. Between a tenth and quarter-inch of rain is possible.
Saturday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 63, the weather service said.
Saturday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 41, according to the weather service.
Sunday, it will be sunny with a high near 63, the weather service said.
Sunday night, it will be clear, with a low of 44, according to the weather service.
Monday, it will be sunny, with a high near 70, the weather service said.
Monday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 52, according to the weather service.
Tuesday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 69, the weather service said.
With vaccine supply potentially increasing in Kansas, the Kansas secretary of health said he wouldn’t be surprised if the general population might be vaccinated in April or early May.
Dr. Lee Norman, Kansas health secretary, said a lot depends on the rapidity of vaccination and the number of people with underlying health conditions. He spoke Tuesday morning at the University of Kansas Health System news conference.
The state launched Phases 3 and 4 of the vaccination plan on Monday, which Dr. Norman said went really well. The phases include people ages 16-64 with certain medical conditions, and also people in certain occupations. He said he hopes to get through the current Phases 3 and 4, possibly in the next few weeks.
Gov. Laura Kelly made the decision to combine Phases 3 and 4 because there wasn’t a bright line between serious medical conditions in Phase 3 and other medical conditions in Phase 4, he said. They are not getting too specific about how severe the conditions are, he said, as that is a qualitative judgment.
“I hope the vaccination sites will not get overly flooded, as long as there is a scheduling mechanism in place,” he said.
Some smaller counties are not requesting vaccines, even in Phases 3 and 4, he said.
The state is looking at 140,000 to 160,000 doses a week over the next few weeks, and everything will be accelerated, he said. Phases 3 and 4 will go through a lot of people, he said, and a great amount of catch up.
They are aware that some residents have signed up on several lists for a vaccine, then get vaccinated at one, and not the others. Occasionally a slot will open at the last minute. He tells people to be on the waiting list and be able to scramble if there’s a call, he said.
Kansas was told it would get about 100,000 doses of Johnson and Johnson soon, however, an announcement recently said Johnson and Johnson may not be able to make the 100 million doses that were scheduled in the future.
“We’re not basing any of our planning on a continued high amount of J and J,” Dr. Norman said. They will take whatever they get, he added, and they are really thankful that it is a one-dose series. The worst-case scenario is to get one dose into people and not able to get a second dose, but with Johnson and Johnson that is not a concern, he added. The vaccinating sites are able to adjust, he said.
Statistics are showing that minorities and ethnic groups are lagging when it comes to vaccinations.
Dr. Norman said eventually they will probably take vaccinations to people, such as sending a mobile unit to a high-risk apartment building where 60 people live. The ability to go to different neighborhoods and communities with a mobile team would be very helpful, he said.
There’s been a focus so far on getting the most vaccine to the most people, which has been great for pushing down spread, Dr. Norman said. But from hereon, it takes customization to push it out to special populations, he said.
Dr. Norman said they have used a lot of Johnson and Johnson vaccines in western Kansas, especially at the state’s 60 meatpacking plants. But there was a high refusal of Johnson and Johnson vaccine in southwest Kansas because of religious reasons involving a fetal cell line used in research many years ago, according to Dr. Norman.
The mask mandate has been under fire in the Kansas Legislature recently. Johnson County may be considering lifting its mask mandate this week, but Dr. Norman said he thinks that’s premature.
Twenty-six percent of the state’s residents have had their first dose, so there are a lot of nonimmune people still out there, he said.
People can still become infected and transmit the disease even if they have had a vaccination.
“I think it’s too soon to let our guard down,” Dr. Norman said. “Even if your municipality, your county, says it’s no longer mask-mandated, you can still wear a mask. It’s a free country. Masks will never let you down. Just because you can (stop wearing a mask), doesn’t mean you should.”
While Kansas COVID-19 rates have been on a downward trend, 27 other states have seen a rise in their case number rates in the past week or two.
“I think we’re on a bubble,” Dr. Norman said. “Twenty-seven states are going the wrong way, and we don’t want to be one of them. The mask question is a very pivotal one. Don’t let your guard down, and let’s get vaccinated.”
The doctors also discussed the AstraZeneca vaccine and a news release that the Data and Safety Monitoring Board says the vaccine information may not be complete. There was concern the vaccine may have used outdated data, according to the board.
Dr. David Wild, vice president of performance improvement at KU Health System, said to him, that is exactly the way the process should work. If the vaccine is reviewed and receives emergency use authorization, he would advise people to get it.
Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control, said, the board is doing what it should be doing. That data is being evaluated. If an emergency use authorization is issued, he would not have hesitancy about the vaccine because it has gone through that monitoring board, he said. The board is there to protect the patients and that’s what it is doing, he said.
Dr. Norman said this is a normal process, not unique to this vaccine. Everyone is laser-focused on this vaccine, while other vaccines are evaluated on a daily basis and don’t get that sort of public scrutiny.
The doctors also are concerned about the videos of spring break in Florida, with photos of large gatherings of young adults without masks. A lot of young adults may not have received vaccinations yet, and there is a possibility of variants spreading throughout the country.
Dr. Wild said one year ago, they were seeing 45 new cases, then there was a small spike to 150 to 250 new cases. Today they are well above the 150 to 250 new cases going into spring break, he added.
“So before any bump from spring break, we are already significantly higher in the number of new cases a day than a year ago,” he said.
According to Dr. Wild, they are preparing for another spike in cases from spring break, Easter and Memorial Day holidays.
COVID-19 case numbers reported
The University of Kansas Health System reported nine active COVID-19 patients on Tuesday morning, the same as Monday, according to Dr. Hawkinson. Of the nine patients, five were in the intensive care unit, the same as Monday. Two patients were on a ventilator, a decrease of one since Monday. There were another seven COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized but are out of the acute infection phase, a decrease of 11 since Monday. There is a total 16 patients, a decrease of 11 from Monday.
Wyandotte County reported an increase of seven COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, March 23, since Monday, for a cumulative 17,986 cases. There was a cumulative total of 283 deaths reported, an increase of two since Monday.
The Mid-America Regional Council’s COVID-19 dashboard reported 163,316 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Tuesday. The daily average of new hospitalizations was 71. The number of cumulative deaths was 2,310.
The state of Kansas reported 300,125 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Monday, March 22, an increase of 615 cases since Friday. There were a total cumulative 4,850 deaths reported, an increase of eight deaths.
The Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 dashboard on Tuesday night reported 29,922,392 cases in the United States, with 543,843 total deaths reported nationwide.
Vaccinations available Wednesday
Wyandotte County has started Phases 3 and 4 in the state’s vaccination plan.
People with certain underlying health conditions and other critical workers are in these phases. They may fill out the Health Department’s vaccine interest form at WycoVaccines.org or call 3-1-1. Appointments are needed.
Those who are ages 16 to 64 with severe medical conditions, listed in the state’s plan, are in Phase 3, and those 16 to 64 with other medical conditions are listed in Phase 4.
The list includes cancer patients, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart conditions, pregnant patients and some other categories. To view the list of the severe medical conditions in Phase 3 and other conditions in Phase 4, view the vaccine plan on the state’s website at https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/DocumentCenter/View/121/Vaccine-Prioritization-Slides-PDF.
Also in Phase 3 are “other critical workers,” according to the state plan, listed above.
Those who want to be vaccinated in Phases 3 and 4 should complete the UG Health Department’s vaccine interest form online at WycoVaccines.org or call 3-1-1, and they will be contacted to schedule appointments.
The Unified Government Health Department is still offering walk-in COVID-19 vaccines Monday through Friday for Wyandotte County residents who are 65 and older, and also for high-contact critical workers in Phases 1 and 2. The walk-in appointments are not for Phases 3 and 4.
Those Wyandotte County residents who are 65 or older, and critical workers in Phases 1 and 2, can walk in and do not need an appointment from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at the vaccination sites at the former Kmart store at 7836 State Ave., the former Best Buy store at 10500 Parallel Parkway and the Kansas National Guard Armory at 100 S. 20th (near 18th and Ridge).
Those in Phases 1 and 2 who walk in to get vaccines should bring an ID and something showing their Wyandotte County address, such as mail. Critical workers should bring a work badge or a document showing they work in Wyandotte County.
Those Wyandotte County residents who are younger than 65, or are not eligible yet, may fill out a form expressing interest in getting a vaccine at WycoVaccines.org or call 3-1-1.
There are also pharmacies giving COVID-19 vaccinations in Wyandotte County by appointment, when available. These include Price Chopper and Hen House pharmacy at 76th and State Avenue, and 81st and State Avenue (see https://www.ballsfoodspharmacy.com/), and Medicine Shoppe pharmacy at 65th and Parallel by appointment when available (see https://www.facebook.com/The-Medicine-Shoppe-Kansas-City-281548241870522). CVS pharmacy also has announced that it will offer COVID-19 vaccines at one of its stores in Kansas City, Kansas. Registration is at CVS.com.
COVID-19 tests scheduled Wednesday
Free COVID-19 tests are offered from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 24, at Faith Deliverance Family Worship Center, 3043 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas.
The tests are in conjunction with the Wyandotte County Health Equity Task Force. Appointments are not necessary. Free groceries will be given to those who are tested at this site, while supplies last.
Unified Government Health Department COVID-19 testing and vaccine sites are scheduled to be open on Wednesday, March 24. The test site at the former Kmart building at 78th and State will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 24. Appointments are not needed for COVID-19 tests and vaccinations for those over 65 on Wednesday. There is also a UG Health Department location for COVID-19 testing and vaccinations at the former Best Buy store, 10500 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas. A third Health Department site, for vaccinations, is at the Kansas National Guard Armory at 100 S. 20th.
The Health Department is offering saliva COVID-19 tests to the public. Tests from the Health Department are free for those who live or work in Wyandotte County.
The tests are open to asymptomatic people as well as those who have symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19. Check with the UG Health Department’s Facebook page to see if there have been any changes in the schedule. Bring something that shows that you live or work in Wyandotte County, such as a utility bill.
Other testing sites, through WellHealth, are at www.gogettested.com/Kansas. The WellHealth tests need appointments. One site on this list is Lowe’s at 6920 State Ave., which will be open at 8 a.m. Wednesday. Appointments can be made at the website www.gogettested.com/Kansas.
