A second bill legalizing medical marijuana has been filed in Kentucky’s legislature, the fifth marijuana-related legislation filed in this year’s General Assembly.

The first was sponsored by Rep. John Sims Jr., a Democrat from Flemingsburg; the second was filed by Republican Steve West, Rowan County’s state senator.

Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes joined others at the state Capitol several weeks ago to promote the legalization bill that was introduced to the state House.

Rowan County Sheriff Matt Sparks said special interest groups and politicians can push for legalization, but at what point do they seek guidance from medical experts and ask law enforcement who deal with the drug on a daily basis?

“It just doesn’t make much sense to me,” Sparks said. “We don’t have any major medical groups condoning smoking marijuana and the facts show that inhaling the drug distorts your mind, memory, and is overall just an unhealthy act. Medical experts will tell you that marijuana has certain benefits, but you aren’t going to find one that will tell you it’s good for you to smoke it.”

Across the nation, 30 states have legalized cannabis in one form or another. Sparks said just because it’s legal on the local level, it’s still against federal law.

“A lot of people tout how much money and revenue marijuana brings in, but they often neglect the costs it also incurs,” he said. “You may have brought in a lot of money, but did you also calculate the increased health care costs for those smoking and the increase of property damage due to accidents with people driving while intoxicated, among others?”

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