LOUISVILLE, Ky. —The founder of Louisville’s Veterans Club Inc. says allowing Kentucky veterans to legally use medical marijuana is long overdue.

What You Need To Know

  •  Gov. Andy Beshear signed an executive order this week allowing the use of medical marijuana in some cases

  •  Jeremy Harrell is the founder of Veteran's Club Inc.

  •  Harrell advocates for the use of medical marijuana to treat symptons of PTSD

  • Several Kentucky lawmakers are speaking out against the governor's use of the executive order 

This week Gov. Andy Beshear signed an executive order that would allow some Kentuckians to purchase and use medical marijuana to treat certain and severe medical  conditions. “We really need to start thinking about medicinal marijuana for just certain issues,” Jeremy Harrell told Spectrum News 1. Harrell is the found of Veteran’s Club Inc. in Louisville. Harrell is also a combat veteran. 

A day after Beshear signed an executive order allowing the use of medical marijuana, the founder of Veteran’s Club Inc. says the veterans he knows who have been wanting this are still too hesitant to talk about it publicly. “If we are off the record, there is a lot of conversation about how marijuana works and helps and it keeps our veterans alive in many instances. We can’t ignore that reality but many veterans are afraid to advocate on behalf of it for a lot different reasons,” Harrell said. Employer retribution is one reason, Harrell suggests.

For years, Harrell has been an advocate for legalizing medical marijuana in order to help treat symptoms of PTSD and other severe conditions experienced in the veteran community. “The reality is veterans are using marijuana anyways because they have to. They have to cope and they don’t want to take 14 pills,” Harrell explained.

With more than 30 states having already legalized the use of medical marijuana, Harrell feels Kentucky is behind on this issue and being behind is costing lives. This week Harrell attended yet another funeral for a veteran who took his own life. “I’ve been to so many funerals in the last few years I’ve lost count of veterans who have taken their own lives and the reality is we have to realize what we’ve been doing over prescribing benzo and antidepressants hasn’t been part of the solution,” Harrell said.

While Harrell appreciates the governor’s efforts in signing the executive order, he hopes lawmakers can finally come to terms with their views on medical marijuana and pass a bill legalizing it.

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