Cannabis advocates rallied on 4/20 to drum up support for legislation

TOPEKA (KSNT) — April 20th or 4/20 day for some is a day celebrated by cannabis advocates across the world.

A few supporters gathered at the statehouse to call for marijuana laws to change in Kansas.

A handful of people rallied at the capitol statehouse to advocate for the legalization of marijuana. The gathering occurred on 4/20, the date marijuana advocates have claimed as an unofficial holiday for the drug.

While many states in the United States have already legalized marijuana for medical or recreational use, some still haven’t. Kansas is one of a handful of states where cannabis remains fully illegal.

Many opponents of legalization argue that it sends the wrong message to young people and will lead to increased drug use and addiction. Last month, Kansas lawmakers tabled one bill allowing medical marijuana use under some circumstances and another bill that would have decriminalized the drug.

Senator District 34 Mark Steffen gave his testimony in front of legislators against cannabis this past March.

“Very problematic for society,” Steffen said. “Very problematic for an individual. We know marijuana as it is today is highly addictive.”

State Lawmakers fear it’ll lead to increased drug use, more addiction, and public health and safety concerns.

One cannabis advocate, Kelly Rippel, an advisor for the Kansas Cannabis Coalition, explained their reasoning for their stance.

“[Much] of what we are hearing from the opposition is misrepresented data,” Ripple said. “And it is easy to do. We have seen a lot of misrepresented information and [increased] disinformation through social media.”

Supporters of marijuana legalization argue that it can benefit those suffering from chronic pain or other medical conditions, but opponents remain concerned about the potential risks and consequences.

“The bottom line is we have to evaluate evidence from a holistic view,” Rippel said.

The opposition argues that legalizing marijuana will make it more difficult for law enforcement to do their job. 

That will create more challenges for detecting drug-impaired driving and will increase the black market for marijuana.

Time may be running out for any action during this legislative session. Advocates say they’ll keep pushing for legalization and what they call “cannabis justice.”