Marijuana, Mary Jane, Pot, Weed
4,998 Pot Applications
918 for Cultivator / Processor Licenses
Frankfort, Ky. 10/28/2024* COMMENTARY in News Report
Kentucky has awarded 26 entities marijuana licenses (cultivation / processor) using a “cannabis license lottery” held at the Kentucky Lottery Corp. in Louisville.
Gov. Andy Beshear said: “All medical cannabis that is cultivated, processed, tested and dispensed will be done so right here in Kentucky. Today’s lottery helps ensure those medical cannabis businesses can become operational so that Kentuckians with serious medical conditions can have safe, affordable access to the health care relief and choice they deserve at the soonest possible date.”
The categories licensed include:
- ten Tier I cultivator licenses,
- four Tier II cultivator licenses,
- two Tier III cultivator licenses; and,
- ten processor licenses.
Applicants in these categories were informed last week that they were approved to be in the license lottery.
The 26 license lottery winners chosen today will have 15 days to pay their license fee to Office of Medical Cannabis to get their license to start a medical pot business.
A separate license lottery for dispensaries will be announced in the future.
According to Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) Secretary Eric Friedlander, beginng Jan. 1, 2025, citizens may apply for a medical cannabis card if they have a qualifying medical condition like:
* any type or form of cancer regardless of 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 untreatable by existing drugs,
* post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
For more information visit, kymedcan.ky.gov.
History of Medical Cannabis Law in Kentucky
For decades the heavy-handed Democrat-majority state Congress always outlawed cannabis sativa (marijuana) which is a plant used as a natural remedy to heal or alleviate many different diseases and was created by the Creator god.
Imagine that, crooked evil selfish politicians outlawing a cheap natural remedy that helps people.
It took a contemporary Republican super-majority state Congress to finally legalize medical pot.
In March 2023, Gov. Andy Beshear signed Senate Bill 47 legalizing medical cannabis.
2024 Medical Pot License History
In January, ten regulations were filed to provide direction for how medical cannabis businesses, including cultivators, processors, producers, dispensaries and safety compliance facilities, will operate in the commonwealth.
In March, five regulations were filed to provide the framework for how Kentuckians with qualifying medical conditions can become cardholders.
In April, the Governor signed House Bill 829 into law, which among other things, took the important step of moving up the timeline for cannabis business licensing from Jan. 1, 2025, to July 2024.
July 1 – Aug. 31, 2024 was the time to apply for a medical cannabis business license.
The Office of Medical Cannabis received 4,998 applications, of which 918 were cultivator and processor applicants.
In September, Kentucky’s first medical cannabis business license was issued to KCA Labs, a hemp testing lab previously operating in Nicholasville.
The Office of Medical Cannabis has issued two additional medical marijuana testing-lab licenses.
List of 26 Medical Cannabis Licensees (awarded by lottery):
Ref.:
* Compiled from Governor’s press release.
