Gov. Andy Beshear shared more details Thursday about Kentucky’s rollout of medical marijuana.
Medical marijuana became legal in the Commonwealth on Jan. 1, 2025, but the state’s first dispensary didn’t open until December.
On Dec. 13, the first dispensary, the Post, opened in Beaver Dam, Kentucky, about two hours southwest of Louisville.
Now, Beshear says the state’s first medical marijuana cultivator has been approved.
Bison Infused, located in Dayton, Kentucky, across the river from Cincinnati, will have products available for The Post and other dispensaries opening in coming weeks.
“Our priority is ensuring Kentuckians suffering from serious medical conditions like cancer, PTSD or multiple sclerosis can have access to medical cannabis as soon as possible.” Beshear said.
The next dispensary to open, called Speakeasy, will be in Lexington. Beshear said it will open in January, but did not give an exact date or location.
Boone County will be the next to have a dispensary after Lexington, with Cannacare receiving approval to operate. Beshear said Cannacare will open when enough product becomes available.
“I know it feels like that it’s taken a long time, but the rules were very specific about how it had to be grown, how it had to be processed, if it was going to be in certain products, how our dispensaries needed to be safe,” Beshear said. “And while none of us are satisfied that there is not more product there yet, what we have done is to create a highly regulated, safe system that’s going to operate pretty smoothly as product comes online.”
Beshear added that he expects there to be an increase of dispensaries open with products on the shelf during the first quarter.
“I think we will see full operation, I’m hoping, by the middle, maybe, of this year,” he said.
More than 17,000 Kentuckians have been approved for medical cannabis cards, with more than 500 practitioners registered to issue certifications. There have also been nearly 26,000 electronic certifications issued.
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