Kansas Sheriff’s Association says marijuana increases risk of opioid use

TOPEKA, Kan. ( KSNT ) – Another year, another attempt to legalize marijuana in Kansas. Will it pass or go up in smoke?

On Wednesday, Oct. 16, lawmakers discussed the issue at a special marijuana meeting at the Kansas statehouse. Advocates hope it will put marijuana in a prime spot, but law enforcement is tying it to cartels and opioid addiction.

“One of the myths that we’re hearing about is that marijuana decreases the opioid use,” said Sheriff Scott Braun with the Kansas Sheriff’s Association. “In the documents that several of you have, it contradicts that. It actually increases the risk of opioid use.”

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, federal investigators learned of “Chinese money laundering groups” who were buying plots of land to grow marijuana in areas that had legalized marijuana. One of those states is Kansas’ border neighbor, Colorado. So far, Chinese-run marijuana operations have been found in 23 states .

“When it passed, there was 8,000 grow operations that turned up in Oklahoma,” Braun said. “Currently, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics has shut down over 5,000 grows.”

Last year, two Chinese nationals were convicted of trafficking more than 27 tons of black market weed using vehicles disguised as delivery vans .

Olivia Hayes with the Kansas Cannabis Coalition spoke to KSNT News. She said she wasn’t concerned about drug trafficking if marijuana was legalized.

“Looking at all the rules and regs that they want to put in place for a medical program, we believe that that would not be a huge concern,” Hayes said.

Topeka City Council member Spencer Duncan said it’d be easier for the government to keep track if marijuana was regulated.

“You know who grew it, you know where it was grown, and you know who’s selling it, so if there is that kind of issue, you can track it down overnight,” Duncan said.

KSNT News also spoke to political analyst Bob Beatty about the issue.

“If Missouri is doing a number of things better with gambling, making more money with marijuana sales, is Kansas going to react to that?” Beatty said. “So, even when other states say, Colorado, especially, Kansas has still decided not to at least legalize medical marijuana. And I think the marijuana discussion that’s still going to be dependent on whether Republicans keep a supermajority.”

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV.