MISSION, Kan. — A proposed bill that would allow caregivers to obtain low THC oil and legally administer it in Kansas is now one signature away from becoming law.
House Bill 2244 passed both chambers of the Kansas Legislature this session. If Gov. Laura Kelly signs it into law, patients would be required to have a doctor's letter 15 months prior to purchase of the oil, stating a debilitating medical condition. A third-party lab also would need to test the quality of the oil.
Low THC oil is derived from the marijuana plant but contains small amounts of THC, the psychoactive canniboid that causes a high.
A spokesperson for the governor said Kelly is currently reviewing the bill.
Wichita parents Gwen and Scott Hartley say the bill could help save their daughter’s life. Lola Hartley, 12, suffers from seizures and half a dozen other disabilities. She only weighs about 14 pounds.
“Lola has 20, 30 seizures a day, some that we see, some that we don’t see,” Gwen Hartley said. “She has a lot of tightness and stiffness in her muscles, so we are hoping this gives her some pain relief.”
Lola’s older sister, Claire, had the same medical condition as Lola. She died in December.
The Hartleys say they are appreciative of the support they have received and hopeful that the governor will sign the bill.
“(We’re) just really thankful that people heard our plea and they embraced our family and understood what a need this is,” Scott Hartley said.
“Claire and Lola’s law is going to help so many kids in Kansas,” he said. “We are so hopeful, so excited.”
Eddie Smith, owner of Into the Mystic store in Mission, Kansas, sells CBD oil without THC, which is legal in Kansas. Smith said there are many benefits of the oil.
“Anyone from pregnant women to people ages 80 to 90 years old come in here to get it,” Smith said.
Law enforcement officials in Kansas have expressed concerns about the bill, including that people may fake documents to obtain the low THC oil.
