Looking at the rollout of the Kentucky medical cannabis program

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WSAZ) – Voters in dozens of cities and counties across Kentucky voted in favor in November to allow medical cannabis businesses to operate in their communities.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said there’s been “an overwhelming support” behind medical cannabis.

The statewide program will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2025, according to the Office of Kentucky Medical Cannabis.

The issue passed in all 53 counties, and 53 cities that had medical cannabis local questions on the ballots allowed those businesses to operate in their areas, Beshear said.

In a team Kentucky briefing, Gov. Beshear said,” We saw overwhelming support at the polls for our new system of medical cannabis … meaning every citizen in every part of Kentucky that it is time and they want to see the option in their community.”

Counties that take no action via ordinance and ballot initiative are automatically opted in to allow medical marijuana businesses, as are cities in such counties, according to the Kentucky Office of Medical Cannabis.

Beshear signed medical cannabis use into law for people who have certain medical conditions in 2023.

The window to apply for a medical cannabis business license was July 1 through Aug. 31. During that time, the Office of Medical Cannabis received 4,998 applications, of which 918 were cultivator and processor applicants.

In Boyd County, L&O Legacies, a tier I cultivator, and Bijal Kentucky LLC., a processor, were amongst the 26 applicants selected through a lottery basis in October for medical cannabis business licenses. Click here

The available categories included 10 Tier I cultivator licenses, four Tier II cultivator licenses, two Tier III cultivator licenses, and 10 processor licenses.

A total of 48 dispensaries will be awarded licenses in late November and December through a lottery drawing basis.

Each county will get one dispensary except Jefferson and Fayette, which will get two each.

To qualify for a medical cannabis card starting Jan. 1, 2025, the holder must have a qualifying medical condition, which includes any type or form of cancer regardless of the stage; chronic, severe, intractable, or debilitating pain; epilepsy or any other intractable seizure disorder; multiple sclerosis, muscle spasms or spasticity; chronic nausea or cyclical vomiting syndrome that has proven resistant to other conventional medical treatments; and post-traumatic stress disorder. For more information visit, kymedcan.ky.gov.

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