Why Kansas Has No Medical Cannabis Program (2026)

Legal Disclaimer: This information reflects Kansas cannabis law as of June 2026 and is for educational purposes only. It is not legal advice. Laws and regulations change — always verify current rules with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation or a qualified attorney. Cannabis remains illegal under federal law.

Last verified: May 2026

The Political Math

The political math of Kansas cannabis is straightforward:

A Democratic governor wants reform. Gov. Laura Kelly has endorsed medical cannabis in every State of the State address since 2019. Term-limited in November 2026.
A Republican supermajority legislature blocks it. Both chambers have Republican supermajorities; Republicans alone can clear 2/3-vote thresholds.
The Senate President personally controls the gavel. Ty Masterson has stated repeatedly he will not allow a cannabis bill to pass while he is in control.
Voters cannot end-run the legislature. Kansas has no citizen-initiative process. See no-ballot-initiative page.

The 2021 High-Water Mark: HB 2184

On May 6, 2021, the Kansas House gave medical cannabis a floor vote for the first time and passed HB 2184 (the "Kansas Medical Marijuana Regulation Act") on a historic 79–42 vote. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Blake Carpenter (R-Derby), would have created a regulated framework for cultivation, processing, distribution, and sale of medical cannabis as edibles, oils, and patches (smoking and vaping prohibited) for patients with chronic conditions verified by a physician.

HB 2184 died in the Senate without a floor vote.

The Senate Chokepoint Architecture

Senate President Masterson’s control of the cannabis-bill chokepoint operates through:

Committee assignments. The Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee is the principal committee that hears cannabis bills. Masterson controls who chairs it.
Removal of pro-cannabis chairs. Sen. Rob Olson (R-Olathe), who had championed medical cannabis as the Federal and State Affairs Chair, was removed by Masterson in what Olson alleges was retaliation.
Replacement with anti-cannabis chairs. Sen. Mike Thompson (R-Shawnee), Olson’s replacement, has dismissed medical cannabis as "a marketing ploy" (February 2025) and refuses to grant hearings.
Procedural blocks on motions to discharge. Sen. Olson’s April 26, 2024 motion to pull SB 135 out of committee for a full Senate vote failed 12 of 24 needed votes — only 10 Democrats and 2 retiring Republicans supported.

House Speaker Hawkins’s "Ball-in-Senate’s-Court" Position

House Speaker Daniel Hawkins (R-Wichita), in office since 2023, has taken a public posture that the House is willing to act if the Senate moves first. In March 2026 he told KWCH:

"We will not take up marijuana in the house. The Senate can take it up, pass it, send it to us, we’ll pass it. But I’m not gonna take it up if the Senate won’t."

The result: each chamber points to the other; no bill moves. The 2021 HB 2184 79-42 House vote was under Speaker Ron Ryckman, not Hawkins.

Recent Bills That Have All Died

2022 SB 158 — Senate medical cannabis legislation. Heard in committee but never released for floor consideration.
2023 SB 135 — Tabled by Chair Mike Thompson with the declaration that the panel had "bigger fish to fry."
2024 SB 555 ("Pilot Program") — Masterson-friendly compromise: 5-year, vertically integrated 4-operator pilot. Still tabled in late March 2024.
2025 SB 294 (Kansas Medical Cannabis Act) — introduced March 7, 2025. DEAD — Thompson never granted a hearing.
2025 SB 295 (decriminalization to $25 civil infraction) — introduced March 12, 2025. DEAD. No hearing.
2025 HB 2405 (Adult Use Cannabis Regulation Act) — Rep. Silas Miller (D-Wichita). DEAD. No hearing.
2026 HB 2678 (Kansas Medical Cannabis Act) — Rep. Ford Carr (D-Wichita) + 28 Democratic co-sponsors. Referred to House Federal and State Affairs Committee. DEAD as of April 11, 2026 session adjournment. No hearing.
2026 HB 2679 (Adult Use Cannabis Regulation Act) — Carr + 19 co-sponsors. DEAD. No hearing.

Rep. Ford Carr’s Diagnosis

Rep. Ford Carr (D-Wichita), lead sponsor of the 2026 House cannabis bills, told KSNT shortly after introduction:

"Honestly what it’s going to take is for our midterm elections to remove some of those in the Republican party and replace those with Democrats who feel differently about cannabis. The Republican party is our hold up. That’s the obstacle."

The 70% Voter-Sentiment Mismatch

The Fort Hays State University Docking Institute Kansas Speaks survey (released October 27, 2025; n=526) found:

70.4% support legalizing medical marijuana (14.2% opposed).
58.8% support legalizing recreational marijuana (24.5% opposed).
64.8% specifically favor legalizing recreational use to enable taxation.
65.4% said they were "highly" or "somewhat likely" to vote for a candidate who supports medical cannabis legalization.

Earlier Fall 2024 Kansas Speaks numbers were even higher (73% medical, 61% recreational). The 2025 numbers, after a methodological change to weight for partisanship, are slightly lower but consistent. Voters consistently favor reform far beyond what the legislature will deliver.

The April 2026 Federal Schedule III Order — Why It Doesn’t Help Kansas

On April 23, 2026, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signed an order reclassifying state-licensed medical marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the federal Controlled Substances Act. The change does NOT affect Kansas. Marijuana remains Schedule I under K.S.A. § 65-4105(d). KBI and law enforcement publicly emphasized that "rescheduling is not the same as legalization." Without action by the Kansas Legislature to amend the state controlled substances schedule, federal Schedule III status changes nothing about Kansas criminal exposure.

Claire and Lola’s Law — The Only Cannabis-Related Medical Pathway

The only cannabis-related medical pathway in Kansas is the affirmative defense created by Claire and Lola’s Law (SB 28, 2019). It applies only to CBD oil with up to 5% THC for severe seizure disorders. It is an affirmative defense, not legal possession. Full Claire and Lola’s Law page.