Indiana lawmaker to file bill lifting ban on medicinal marijuana

This coming session, Tallian hopes a more narrowly defined bill to legalize marijuana for people with certain medical conditions would fare better in a Republican-controlled legislature. The bill that she plans to introduce would allow people with a medical marijuana card and a doctor's recommendation to use marijuana.

The National Conference of State Legislatures reports 23 states allow comprehensive medical marijuana programs. But the Drug Enforcement Agency still classifies the narcotic as dangerous, saying it shouldn’t be used medically.

And that grabs the attention of some Indiana republicans who control the Statehouse.

“For me the issue is not an issue of budget or case or those things,” State Sen. Luke Kenley (R-Noblesville) said. “I think the issue needs to be decided on the merits of whether it’s advisable for us to proceed in that direction. I’m a skeptic in that regards, but I’ll leave open a little room for Sen. Tallian to try to persuade me.”