Marijuana Moment: Indiana GOP Senator Announces New Bill To Legalize Medical Marijuana In The State

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An Indiana Republican state senator has announced plans to file legislation to legalize medical marijuana in the 2027 session in light of recent comments from the governor about the issue and as reform advances at the federal level under the Trump administration.

“In light of the governor’s openness to consider legislation regarding the legalization of marijuana, we need to consider a feasible marijuana policy that would be the most helpful to Hoosiers and the economy,” Sen. Mike Bohacek (R) said in a press release on Monday. “The use of medical marijuana has been proven to be beneficial for some medical disorders and could help people throughout the state who are suffering find some relief.”

Gov. Mike Braun (R) recently said the state is “more likely” to legalize marijuana now that the Trump administration is moving to federally reschedule cannabis.

Bohacek said his bill will include “plenty of parameters around the implementation and use of medical marijuana to ensure it’s being properly regulated and distributed by Hoosier healthcare professionals.”

“There are plenty of benefits medical marijuana can have, not only in a healthcare capacity, but also on our economy. Indiana has already allowed the sale of delta-8 THC and other similar cannabinoids, so creating a tax policy is a logical next step in expanding the use of THC products. There is potential to bring in millions of dollars in tax revenue every year.”

The senator’s press release says the planned legislation will update current laws by establishing a blood concentration that would define THC impairment and create trainings to help law enforcement identify people who are under the influence.

“While the legislation I plan to propose would legalize the use of medical marijuana, it would not take away from the safety standards that would need to be established to keep Hoosiers safe,” Bohacek said.

“This proposed legislation would not legalize the use of recreational marijuana. Many of our state’s current laws regarding the use of marijuana would remain in place, with some adjustments to account for those who may have medical exemptions,” he said. “This is why I am also working on legislation that would adjust the state impairment laws for those who would use medical marijuana.”

The senator is encouraging constituents to contact him with “any questions or comments they may have” about the forthcoming cannabis legislation.

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Last month, U.S. Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN) sent a letter urging the governor to “maintain the state’s prohibitions on marijuana use” despite federal reform.

Under an order signed last month by U.S. Acting Attorney General Blanche, marijuana products regulated by a state medical cannabis license immediately moved from Schedule I to Schedule III of the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA), as did any marijuana products that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“I think the fact that the feds made that move, that makes it more likely” the state will act to reform its cannabis laws, the governor said recently.

“You’re going to need to ask the legislators and the leaders in those two chambers to see what they’re thinking, because I’m clear in terms of where I’m at,” Braun continued. “You’ve got to take what’s evolved over time. [If you] stick your head in the sand, you’re generally going to make the wrong decision.”

Meanwhile, at Braun’s direction, state officials have been holding a series of meetings with medical marijuana advocates.

In March, the governor said the “crescendo will rise” in the call to legalize marijuana, with regional dynamics and even law enforcement buy-in favoring reform down the line. But for now, he said GOP legislative leadership in the state is “not interested in doing anything soon,” even if “over half of Hoosiers probably smoke it illegally.”

Braun said at the time that he thinks lawmakers should take “an additional look at” medical cannabis and that, while he’s personally “agnostic” on legalization, the reality is that Indiana is “surrounded now by four states” that allow either medical or adult-use cannabis.

“Over half of Hoosiers probably smoke it illegally,” he said, noting that neighboring Kentucky permits patients to access medical cannabis, while Illinois, Michigan and Ohio have recreational marijuana laws on the books.

“I’m going to listen to law enforcement. Even they have changed their opinion in terms of legalizing it and regulating it,” Braun said, adding that he’d compare cannabis to gambling. The state was late in the game to adopt laws allowing adults to gamble, he said, but now it ranks in the top three states nationwide in terms of revenue per capita from the vice.

“Some people aren’t going to want it, just out of principle. A lot of our state police and sheriffs are tolerating people going across the border [to buy cannabis]. It’ll be an increasing issue that, so far, our state legislature has kind of dug in against it,” he said. “I’ve been more agnostic about it. I can see points of view, and I’ve seen law enforcement move on it somewhat.”

“So that would give you the best description of where the dynamic is in our state,” the governor told WOWO. “I think the leader of the Senate especially, and the Speaker of the House, are pretty—and they control the legislative agenda—not interested in doing anything soon. But I think the crescendo will rise, and that describes in a snapshot where we’re at.”

Braun similarly talked about the issue in another recent interview, saying the state is “probably going to have to address” the issue and likening cannabis reform to sports betting.

Lawmakers in the state had already signaled that marijuana legalization isn’t in the cards in the 2026 session, meaning another year where Indiana will be an outlier as one of the few remaining states without effective medical or adult-use cannabis laws.

The governor separately said in January that he’s “amenable” to the idea of legalizing medical cannabis in the state. Instead, Indiana legislators this session have been focused on efforts to ban hemp THC products—though it seems that fight is over for 2026 after a last-minute push failed in February.

Braun has previously said that federal marijuana rescheduling could add “a little bit of fire” to the local push for cannabis legalization in his state.

Among Indiana residents, a survey released in January found that nearly three in five back legalizing cannabis for medical and recreational use.

Specifically, the annual Hoosier Survey from the Bowen Center at Ball State University (BSU) found that 59 percent of residents are in favor of legalizing cannabis for both medical and recreational purposes. An additional 25 percent back only allowing patients to access medical marijuana, raising the total support for that reform to 84 percent.

Braun, for his part, previously said that “it’s probably time” to allow access to therapeutic cannabis among patients in the state. Those comments came alongside a separate poll indicating that nearly 9 in 10 Indiana adults (87 percent) support marijuana legalization.

Top Republicans in the legislature, however, have openly opposed marijuana reform.

“It’s no secret that I am not for this,” Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray (R) said in late 2024. “I don’t have people coming to me with really compelling medical cases as to why it’s so beneficial. And any state that I’ve seen pass medical marijuana is essentially passing recreational marijuana.”

House Speaker Todd Huston (R) doubted any medical benefits associated with marijuana, calling the substance “a deterrent to mental health.” He and others suggested that lawmakers supportive of the reform merely want to boost state revenue.

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