In January 2015, Kansas Sen. David Haley, a Kansas City Democrat, filed Senate Bill 9, the “Cannabis Compassion and Care Act,” while Rep. Gail Finney filed the same act in the House as HB 2011; both bills died in committee in June 2016 without a vote. They were part of a long line of Kansas medical marijuana bills. Every one has failed, and as of October 2026 Kansas still has no medical marijuana program.
What Happened
SB 9 was prefiled on January 2, 2015, and formally introduced on January 12, the first day of the session. The Senate sent it to the Committee on Public Health and Welfare (Kansas Legislature, SB 9). The House version, HB 2011, sponsored by Rep. Gail Finney of Wichita, went to the House Committee on Health and Human Services the same day.
The bill would have let qualifying patients with debilitating conditions use cannabis on a doctor’s recommendation. The Wichita Eagle reported at the time that patients could have up to 6 ounces and grow up to 12 plants. Neither committee held a vote. Under Kansas’s two-year session rules, both bills stayed alive through 2016 and were formally marked “died in committee” on June 1, 2016.
Background
Haley had filed versions of the bill before. A 2013 SB 9 with the same 12-plant, 6-ounce limits was prefiled in January 2013 (ProCon.org archive) and went nowhere. By early 2015, 23 states and Washington, D.C. had medical marijuana laws, and neighboring Colorado had legal adult-use stores. Kansas lawmakers, led by a Republican majority, showed little appetite to follow.
What Happened Next
Medical marijuana has come closer to passing in Kansas since 2015, but it has never cleared both chambers.
- 2018: Gov. Jeff Colyer signed SB 282, which removed CBD from the state’s definition of marijuana. It did not create a medical program.
- 2021: The closest call. The House turned SB 158 into the “Kansas medical marijuana regulation act” and passed it 79 to 42 on May 6, 2021. The Senate referred it to committee, held hearings in January 2022, and let it die on May 23, 2022 (Kansas Legislature, SB 158). A separate House bill, HB 2184, also died in committee.
- 2023 to 2024: The Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee held hearings on SB 135 in March 2023. In March 2024 the committee tabled it (Kansas Reflector), and a later effort to pull it to the Senate floor fell far short of the 24 votes needed (MJBizDaily). SB 558 died in committee on April 30, 2024.
- 2025 to 2026: SB 294, the “Kansas medical cannabis act,” was introduced in March 2025 and died in committee. In 2026, HB 2678 died without getting past introduction.
Where It Stands in 2026
Kansas remains one of the few states with no medical marijuana program. Possession of any amount is a crime, and the only medical carve-out is a narrow legal defense for CBD oil with limited THC. Our Kansas marijuana laws guide covers the current penalties. Kansans living near the borders often look to Missouri and Colorado, but carrying cannabis back into Kansas is still illegal. Federal rules, including the April 2026 move of state-licensed medical marijuana to Schedule III, are explained in our federal marijuana law guide; that change does not help Kansans, because Kansas issues no medical licenses.
Kansas Medical Marijuana Bill FAQ
What was Kansas SB 9 in 2015?
SB 9 was Sen. David Haley’s “Cannabis Compassion and Care Act,” a medical marijuana bill introduced January 12, 2015. It was referred to the Senate public health committee and died there on June 1, 2016, without a vote.
Has a medical marijuana bill ever passed in Kansas?
Not into law. The Kansas House passed a medical marijuana bill, House Substitute for SB 158, by 79 to 42 in May 2021, but the Senate never voted on it.
Is medical marijuana legal in Kansas in 2026?
No. The 2026 bill, HB 2678, died. Kansas allows CBD and offers only a limited defense for certain low-THC CBD oil.
Does a medical card from another state work in Kansas?
No. Kansas does not recognize out-of-state medical marijuana cards, and possession is a crime regardless of where it was bought.
Originally reported by The Weed Street Journal; rewritten and updated in October 2026 with what happened next.
