In less than six months, medical marijuana will be legal in Kentucky. But a week after business applications opened, prospective applicants shared frustrations with the rollout.
Over a decade after the first medical cannabis bill was filed in the Kentucky legislature, it finally passed in 2023. The General Assembly gave itself an extra year to establish regulations for the new industry, and on Jan. 1, 2025, Kentuckians with specific medical conditions will be able to legally obtain medical marijuana.
Qualifying conditions include PTSD, cancer, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and chronic pain.
How does the application process work?
On July 1, prospective medical cannabis business owners could begin applying for a business license.
To avoid an oversaturated market, there are limitations on how many licenses are available for the different types of businesses: cultivators, processors, safety compliance facilities and dispensaries. There are 48 available dispensary licenses, divided into 11 regions to ensure equal access across the Commonwealth.
"We saw through hemp, if you don't grow it appropriately, and you create too many licenses too early, you can bankrupt a lot of businesses," said Gov. Andy Beshear at a post-session presser.
Read more at state-journal.com