Democratic nominee Cindy Holscher, a state senator, says federal rescheduling of marijuana makes medical access easier to pass through the Legislature in Kansas. Republican nominee Ty Masterson, the Senate President, called medical legalization a “nonstarter” in 2024, after saying in 2023 he was open to discussing a limited medical program. Election Day is Nov. 3, 2026.
Where do Holscher and Masterson stand on medical marijuana?
Holscher’s comments come from a KOAM-TV interview published Oct. 29, 2026, as Marijuana Moment’s report describes it. Masterson’s positions come from his 2023 and 2024 statements.
| Candidate | What they have said | On the record |
|---|---|---|
| Cindy Holscher (D), state senator and Democratic nominee | Says there is “some difference now” with federal rescheduling, and that federal rescheduling makes medical access easier to pass. Says cannabis is “already here” in Kansas and that the state is not getting the revenue or the guardrails it should. | Says she got medical cannabis passed in the House “a few years ago” and that Masterson stopped it in the Senate. That is her claim. |
| Ty Masterson (R), Senate President and Republican nominee | In 2023 said he was open to discussing a limited medical program. In 2024 called medical cannabis legalization a “nonstarter,” saying it would fuel gang activity and put kids at risk. | Reporting describes his stance on cannabis as inconsistent over the years. |
Holscher’s argument is about timing. She says things look “a little differently now” because of the federal change, and she argues that the state is missing both the revenue and the guardrails that a regulated system would give it.
Masterson’s stated concerns come from 2024. He said medical cannabis would fuel gang activity and put kids at risk. Since he was open to a limited program in 2023 and called legalization a nonstarter in 2024, those two statements are the clearest lines on record from him.
Trump has also backed Masterson. USPatriotNews covered that in Trump delivers for Kansas.
What is the medical marijuana record in the Kansas Legislature?
Kansas has not legalized medical marijuana, and no 2026 bill is reported as passed. Here is how the fight has gone.
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| 2021 | The Kansas House passes a medical cannabis bill. It stalls in the Senate. |
| 2023 | Masterson says he is open to discussing a limited medical program. |
| 2024 | After numerous hearings, the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee votes to table a limited medical marijuana pilot program bill. Masterson calls legalization a “nonstarter.” A legislative panel votes against recommending medical cannabis legalization for 2025. |
| Later | A floor effort to revive medical cannabis falls short. |
| Special committee report | The Legislature’s Special Committee on Medical Marijuana says legalization is premature and that lawmakers should first see how federal rescheduling and other reform efforts unfold. |
Incumbent Gov. Laura Kelly (D) said last year that it is time for lawmakers to legalize medical marijuana.
How do Kansas voters feel about marijuana?
The Kansas Speaks Fall 2026 survey, run by the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University, asked 603 Kansas adults age 18 and older in an online panel from Sept. 23 to Oct. 16, 2026. You can read the full Kansas Speaks Fall 2026 report on fhsu.edu.
| Question | Support | Oppose |
|---|---|---|
| Legalizing medical marijuana in general | 65% | 15.3% |
| Legalizing recreational marijuana in general | 58.3% | 21.3% |
| Legalizing recreational marijuana for people 21 and older to allow state taxation | 60.9% | 20.9% |
Another 59.3% say they are highly or somewhat likely to vote for a legislative candidate who supports medical legalization, and 17.2% say they are unlikely to. Marijuana Moment reports that majorities of Republicans, Democrats and independents support recreational legalization. This poll measures views on marijuana, not the governor race itself.
What did federal rescheduling change?
A final rule in the Federal Register rescheduling rule was published April 28, 2026. It followed a Dec. 18, 2025 executive order from President Trump directing expedited rescheduling, and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signed the order on April 23, 2026.
| Part of the rule | What the rule does |
|---|---|
| FDA-approved drug products containing marijuana | Places them in Schedule III |
| Marijuana products subject to a state-issued medical marijuana license | Places them in Schedule III |
| State-licensed medical operators | Creates a DEA registration pathway for them |
The rule does not make marijuana federally legal. Schedule III is still a controlled substance, so marijuana remains one. The rule also does not create a Kansas medical program, because Kansas has not legalized medical marijuana and there is no state license for the rule to cover.
The broader move is a separate process. The DEA has a proceeding on moving the rest of marijuana to Schedule III, and it has held an evidentiary hearing. As of a September 2026 Morgan Lewis analysis of the DEA hearing, the parties were waiting for an administrative law judge’s recommended decision, then a final decision from the DEA administrator. No final rule moving all marijuana to Schedule III is reported as of Oct. 30, 2026.
Separately, on Oct. 29, 2026, Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) introduced a bill that would remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act. The Cohen bill press release reports no committee action, hearing, vote or passage. Introducing a bill does not change any law.
What changes for Kansans either way?
Kansas has not legalized medical marijuana, so nothing about the state’s rules changes on Nov. 3 by itself. Holscher’s view is that the federal change makes a state medical program easier to pass, and that the state should collect revenue and set guardrails. Masterson’s 2024 view is that medical cannabis would bring gang activity and risks for kids, and he called legalization a nonstarter.
Both paths run through the Legislature. Lawmakers’ own special committee said legalization was premature and that they should first see how federal rescheduling unfolds, so the federal changes are part of the state debate whichever candidate wins.
Before you vote, what should you check?
- Check each nominee’s current position on medical marijuana on their campaign website or in recent interviews. Masterson’s clearest statements on record here are from 2023 and 2024.
- Read the Kansas Speaks report to see the exact wording of each question before you rely on the numbers.
- Watch the DEA proceeding and the Cohen bill. Neither one changes Kansas law.
- Confirm your voter registration and polling place with your county election office before Nov. 3, 2026.
For USPatriotNews’s coverage of Trump’s endorsement in the Senate race, see Trump endorses Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall.
By USPatriotNews.com Editorial Team
