A cause near and dear to my heart.

By The Honorable J. Basil Dannebohm

In 2014, I ran unopposed for a seat in the Kansas State Legislature. Lack of competition didn’t keep me from listening to the concerns voiced by not only my constituents, but people from across the Sunflower State. The Speaker of the House at the time quipped that I wasn’t one to rest on my laurels. Little did he know that he would come to resent me because of it.

One of the concerns brought to me during the campaign came from a desperate mother who lived in a neighboring district. She introduced me to her seven-year-old son who suffered from Dravet syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy. It took every fiber of my being to hold back tears as I witnessed this sweet child being tortured by an unforgiving medical condition that caused him to endure from 10 to 40 attacks each day.

His mother told me that her son’s symptoms seemed to be less aggressive when treated with cannabis oil. She was very clear, however, that she was not getting her son high and that she was hoping for the legalization of cannabis oil, not necessarily marijuana.

Her plea did not fall on deaf ears. I made her a promise that I would support the legalization of cannabis oil. Other state legislators made her the same promise.

Admittedly, my knowledge of marijuana was limited to what I learned in an elementary school D.A.R.E. class so I wasn’t exactly an expert. Nevertheless, when House Bill 2011 was introduced by the late Rep. Gail Finney, a Democrat from Wichita, this Republican from Ellinwood stood in strong support of the legislation.

After voicing my support for the issue in the Capitol rotunda, I was approached by Bryan Lowry, a reporter with The Wichita Eagle, who asked me why, pointing out that I was going against the GOP by standing in favor of the bill.

“You know I had a young constituent come to me with a son who has 30 seizures a day. They’ve tried everything,” I told him. “A child deserves to live a semi-normal life. How can I in good conscience not at least explore the opportunity? It’s about getting voices heard. It’s about getting the data. It’s about getting over the stigma. I mean, my goodness gracious, alcohol was considered evil for quite a time in Kansas history. Let’s start a dialogue. Let’s start a conversation.”

All those other Republican legislators who made that mother a promise, including the one from her own district, stood mute in the shadows, refusing to go against the party. For my part, I was called to the Speaker’s office and reprimanded, but I wasn’t about to back down. I made a promise, and I planned to keep it – even if it would end up costing me a career in politics.

To this day, I have no regrets. I only wish I could have done more.

Since then, I’ve learned a lot about marijuana, including the stigmas and misconceptions associated with it. I know all about William Randolph Hearst's “yellow journalism” and Harry Anslinger’s racist fearmongering that that led to its outlaw. Over time, I have grown convinced it’s far less dangerous than many prescription drugs and should, in fact, be legalized entirely. I’ve voiced my enthusiastic support for Colorado’s legalization, and I was ecstatic when it was on track to become legal in the Commonwealth of Virginia. That is, until Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin accepted a “donation” from the tobacco industry and vetoed the full legalization.

Under current federal law, cannabis is classified as a Schedule I drug, the same category as heroin and methamphetamine.

In early August, President Trump told a group of donors that his administration is considering reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous drug. He reiterated his remarks to journalists a few days later. Mr. Trump and I don’t agree on very many things, and though August marks a decade since I became a registered Independent, if the President fulfills his promise on reclassifying marijuana I will not hesitate to express my gratitude. Just like in 2015, I remain unafraid to reach across party lines when it means supporting the right thing.

Reclassifying is a start; declassifying is ideal.

Though I’m honored to be considered a trailblazer who paid a price, I’m far more delighted that so many of my former Republican colleagues have finally hopped on the jazz cabbage bandwagon. Perhaps now that ‘Dear Leader’ approves, they can finally keep the promise they made to that little boy who’s now approaching age 18?