TOPEKA (KSNT) – The Kansas House has moved forward with a bill that would legalize medical marijuana in Kansas, voting 79 to 42 Thursday.

“What we did today is we helped people, we helped a majority of people, we helped a lot of people that need this,” Olathe Representative Adam Thomas said. “I believe that part of our job here is to help people, and also look for ways to increase our revenue.”

But there were many in the legislature that spoke out against medical legalization.

“In 10 years when we’re driving down main street and there’s two and three dispensaries on every block, that’s on us, we did that,” Ness City Representative Tatum Lee-Hahn said.

Others were concerned about marijuana still being illegal on the federal level.

“What do you tell children, sure, there’s a law on the books, but this one, they haven’t moved quick enough for my taste, so we’ll just ignore it,” Lakin Representative Russ Jennings said.

All Democrats voted for the issue, while 40 of 86 Republicans supported it.

“This doesn’t have to be viewed as a right versus left, conservative versus liberal, type of issue. I think that conservative Republicans should be able to support medical cannabis,” St. John Representative Brett Fairchild said.

The bill will now head to Senate. It is not expected to be voted on this session, but it can be brought up in 2022.

The proposal does not allow smoking or vaping marijuana, but edibles, oils, and patches are allowed.

Earlier this week, a House committee approved the measure to send it to the full House.

The bill known as House Substitute for SB158 cleared the House Committee on Federal and State Affairs in a 12 to 8 vote, according to KSNT’s Capitol Bureau. After receiving some amendments, it was sent to the House floor for discussion. 

The bill previously was voted out of committee but did not receive a full discussion on the floor.

To view the bill before it was amended, click here.