By Sydney Byerly
The Indiana Citizen
May 14, 2026
Sen. Mike Bohacek, R-Michiana Shores, plans to introduce legislation in 2027 that would legalize medical marijuana in Indiana, a proposal that comes as some top Indiana Republicans appear increasingly willing to discuss limited cannabis legalization after years of resistance at the Statehouse.
Bohacek announced earlier this week that he plans to introduce legislation that would legalize marijuana strictly for medical use while establishing regulations governing patient eligibility, physician oversight, distribution and taxation.
“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,” Bohacek said in a statement announcing the proposal on Monday.
Bohacek said his legislation would also establish standards for determining impairment and create specialized training requirements for law enforcement officers.
“This proposed legislation would not legalize the use of recreational marijuana,” Bohacek said. “Many of our state’s current laws regarding the use of marijuana would remain in place.”
Indiana remains one of the few midwest states without a comprehensive medical marijuana program despite all neighboring states legalizing cannabis in some form.
Gov. Mike Braun has recently signaled openness to discussing medical marijuana legalization. Braun, previously describing himself as “agnostic” on medical marijuana, said Indiana will likely need to address the issue as surrounding states continue expanding cannabis access.
Braun also said any change in Indiana law would require input from law enforcement and public safety officials—concerns that have long played a central role in opposition to marijuana legalization among Republican lawmakers and Indiana State Police.
Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith has similarly suggested medical marijuana may be worth discussing in limited circumstances, even while remaining opposed to recreational marijuana legalization.
During a February 19 episode of “Ask Micah Anything”, Beckwith said he was “not a pro legalized marijuana guy” and argued legalization efforts in states such as Michigan had created social costs that outweighed promised economic benefits. He also referenced concerns involving homelessness, drug abuse, illegal drug activity and risks to children.
Still, Beckwith drew a distinction between recreational marijuana and medical cannabis use.
“I think there’s a place we could have a conversation on legalizing the medical use of marijuana,” Beckwith said. “Doctors and patients potentially could have a real reason to use things like cannabis for Parkinson’s or other really important issues and struggles that people are going through.”
The Indiana Citizen reached out to Braun and Beckwith for comment on Bohacek’s proposal and to ask whether they would support efforts to legalize medical marijuana in Indiana or expand on their positions on the issue, but did not hear back. Bohacek did not respond to questions about why he is authoring the legislation now or if he had spoken with any leaders about his proposal.
The push also comes after the Trump administration recently reclassified state-licensed medical marijuana as a Schedule III drug under federal law, a significant shift that acknowledged accepted medical uses for cannabis while stopping short of federal legalization. The change does not legalize marijuana under federal law, but it formally recognizes accepted medical uses for cannabis and could ease restrictions on medical research and state-regulated cannabis programs.
Unlike some lawmakers on both sides of the aisle who pushed marijuana reform legislation, Bohacek has not historically been one of the General Assembly’s leading cannabis advocates. One cannabis-related bill authored by Bohacek from 2025, focused on restricting the sale of low-THC products to minors rather than expanding marijuana access.
Despite hesitancy at the statehouse, public opinion polling in recent years has consistently shown broad support for medical marijuana legalization in Indiana. A 2025 Hoosier Survey conducted by Ball State University’s Bowen Center for Public Affairs found that 59% of Hoosiers said marijuana should be legal for medicinal and recreational use. The report also broke down support, or lack thereof, by party, with 41% of Republicans responding that medicinal and recreational should be legal. The viewpoint was much more popular with Democrats, 71% in favor, and Independents, 67%.
Separate polling released in late 2024 by the Republican-backed coalition Safe and Regulated Indiana similarly found 70% either strongly or somewhat support legalization among registered voters, underscoring how the issue has gained traction across party lines even as legislative leaders have remained hesitant to advance cannabis-related proposals.
Recent studies have also suggested marijuana use is already widespread in the state despite Indiana maintaining some of the nation’s strictest cannabis laws. A RAND Corporation analysis commissioned by the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation released in April, estimated Hoosiers spend nearly $2 billion annually on cannabis products, much of it in neighboring states where marijuana is legal in some form.
Indiana lawmakers have considered a number of marijuana-related proposals during the 2024 and 2025 sessions, though most have struggled to gain traction in the Republican-controlled legislature. During the 2026 session, lawmakers introduced measures that would have legalized medical marijuana, decriminalized marijuana possession and created broader cannabis regulations, but rarely advanced beyond initial committee referrals.
Sydney Byerly is a political reporter who grew up in New Albany, Indiana. Before joining The Citizen, Sydney reported news for TheStatehouseFile.com and most recently managed and edited The Corydon Democrat & Clarion News in southern Indiana. She earned her bachelor’s in journalism at Franklin College’s Pulliam School of Journalism (‘Sco Griz!).
The Indiana Citizen is a nonpartisan, nonprofit platform dedicated to increasing the number of informed and engaged Hoosier citizens. We are operated by the Indiana Citizen Education Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) public charity. For questions about the story, contact Marilyn Odendahl at marilyn.odendahl@indianacitizen.org.
