Kentucky selects its first batch of medical marijuana dispensaries. What comes next?

In the latest preparations for commercial medical marijuana in Kentucky, the state selected the first round of businesses eligible for dispensary licenses Monday.

Additionally, as the lottery took place, officials with the Kentucky Office of Medical Cannabis reminded of several key dates coming in the next few months for residents hoping to legally use medical cannabis.

Doctors and advanced practice registered nurses approved by the state division can begin certifying potential cardholders Sunday, Dec. 1, Sam Flynn, executive director of the program, said Monday in a livestreamed lottery for the first batch of dispensary licenses. A number of practitioners have already been registered with the program.

“We’ve got over 160 authorized and registered practitioners thus far, and well over 200 that are authorized and are working on that second registration piece,” Flynn said.

A directory of qualifying practitioners will be released by the office soon, and interested patients will be required to attend an initial in-person visit to receive their certification, which is valid for 60 days.

With a certification in hand, residents with qualifying conditions can apply for the medical marijuana card beginning Wednesday, Jan. 1, but it will likely be some time before patients can actually buy the product here in Kentucky.

“We know it will probably not be Jan. 1,” Gov. Andy Beshear, taking questions Monday, said of patients actually being able to access cannabis.

That’s because all medical marijuana sold in Kentucky will also be grown, processed and tested in the Bluegrass State. The program held its first lottery Oct. 28 for cultivators and processors, and Monday, Flynn confirmed all those selected have the paid licensing fees and will proceed with operations.

Despite some regulations that to attempt to limit the commercial activities to Kentucky-based companies, a recent review by Louisville Public Media found the lottery application process and eventual cultivator/processor lottery was flooded by applications from out-of-state and well-funded cannabis companies.

In one case, a co-founder and CFO of as Arkansas-based marijuana company, Dark Horse Cannabis, has ties to 350 new businesses opened in Kentucky in the month prior to the application deadline, the LPM investigation found, allegedly contravening the state’s attempt to limit monopolies across the industry by “stacking” applications under separate owners.

Monday, Beshear and Flynn said each license applicant included in the lotteries is owned by a different individual or group, but conceded that businesses can work with others and, under the law, owners can reside out of state.

First dispensary licenses granted

In conjunction with Kentucky Lottery Monday, the state selected the first batch of businesses eligible for dispensary licenses, the customer-facing aspect of the program that will provide “pharmacy-like” storefronts for patients and caregivers to purchase cannabis.

With the state split into 11 regions, licensees for regions three through 11 were selected, and business owners have 15 days to pay the state’s nonrefundable licensing fee, in this case $30,000.

Each region is limited to four dispensary licenses, and within a region, one dispensary per county. The state will host another lottery Monday, Dec. 16 to select the licensees for the two remaining regions, which include Jefferson and Fayette counties. In those counties, where the population is largest, two dispensaries will be granted licenses.

State officials have not commented specifically on the demand they expect once cardholder applications open at the beginning of the new year.

The following businesses were granted dispensary licenses by region and applied county. Some businesses will be required to select a different county to operate in in accordance with the state regulations limiting business operations.

Region 3

• RTZ 20 LLC, Boyd County
• Boarder Construction LL, Boyd County
• Southern Green Wellness LLC, Montgomery County
• Bluegrass Blooms LLC, Boyd County

Region 4

• Zeus Agoraios LLC, Simpson County
• AR-MO-KY-MS Cannabis Ventures LLC, Warren County
• Promo Pulse LLC, Warren County
• Flower Radar LLC, Warren County

Region 5

• Reed KY Dispensary LLC, Pulaski County
• ERH KY LLC, Pulaski County
• JM Medicinals LLC, Russell County
• No1 Boundary LLC, Whitley County

Region 6

• BSRKYAPP LLC, Floyd County
• HYE Property Management LLC, Powell County
• Kentuckyzen LLC, Pike County
• Reed KY Dispensary LLC, Pike County

Region 7

• Mallard Club LLC, Christian County
• ARKY Capital Investments LLC, Lyon County
• River City Relief House LLC, Lyon County
• DPDMJF Cannabis Holdings Co. LLC, Lyon County

Region 8

• OM Med LLC, McCracken County
• KY-CannCo LLC, McCracken County
• Green4U LLC, Graves County
• Leiber Canna II LLC, McCracken County

Region 9

• Barrio Capital Partners LLC, Hardin County
• Thoroughtrek LLC, Hardin County
• NGHKC, Hardin County
• Wynn Win LLC, Hardin County

Region 10

• Yellow Flowers LLC, Kenton County
• Nicole Tirella, Campbell County
• Bluegrass Cannacare LLC, Boone County
• Green Grass Cannabis LLC, Kenton County

Region 11

• OTC KY 3 LLC, Henderson County
• Bungalow House LLC, Daviess County
• Tree Soft LLC, Henderson County
• CP Investment LLC, Daviess County

What Kentuckians should know about medical marijuana

If you are interested in becoming a medical marijuana cardholder, you must first have a registered practitioner issue a certification that you have a medical condition qualifying you for the program. Those doctors and advance practice RNs can also place limits on the amount and type of cannabis product you may qualify for.

Smoking marijuana, even medical, remains illegal in Kentucky under the program, and marijuana is also illegal at the federal level.

Once you have your certification, and beginning Jan. 1, you will be eligible to apply for your card. Flynn said to vet cardholders, the program will review the certification, require a notarized acknowledgment of the law and screen applicants for “disqualifying felony offenses.” The fee for cardholders in $25.

“We’re really proud of how low the fee is, it’s one of the lowest in the country for a new medical cannabis program. We’re very excited about that, making sure that access is a priority in our program,” Flynn said.

If approved, you will receive a copy of your card electronically and be able to purchase from any dispensary in the state.

Beshear confirmed Monday he intends to keep his 2022 executive order in place as the program gets off the ground. That order essentially decriminalized possession of out-of-state marijuana for those with a doctor’s note confirming a qualifying condition.

Do you plan to apply for a medical marijuana card in Kentucky? Our service journalism team would like to talk with you. Give us some information with the Know Your Kentucky form below or email ask@herald-leader.com.

This story was originally published November 26, 2024 at 2:09 PM.