Governor Andy Beshear announced during his Team Kentucky Update Thursday that his administration is taking another step forward in advancing legalized medical cannabis in the Commonwealth.
In March 2023, Governor Beshear signed Senate Bill 47 into law, effective January 1, 2025. SB 47 will benefit Kentuckians with medical conditions like cancer, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, post-traumatic disorder, chronic pain, epilepsy, chronic nausea, and muscle spasms. Since then, Beshear noted the Medical Cannabis Program has made great progress and remains on schedule.
On Thursday, the governor said his administration filed its first ten regulations governing this area. These regulations, he noted, will provide the framework for how medical cannabis businesses including the cultivators, processors, producers, dispensaries and safety compliance facilities will operate in Kentucky.
Beshear stated that additional regulations on how Kentuckians can apply for medical business licenses will be issued in the coming weeks and months. He acknowledged the possibility of making adjustments during the Legislative Session to ensure the program works correctly in terms of when businesses apply, receive licenses, and begin operations.
In addition, in October, the program formed a partnership with Tyler Technologies & Metric to develop the electronic monitoring system for Kentucky’s medical cannabis program.
Beshear emphasized that in 2022, he signed an executive order permitting Kentuckians seeking medical marjuana to obtain a written certification from a physician.
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Gov. Beshear additionally revealed that two independently appointed advisory boards have unanimously voted to recommend to the General Assembly expanding the list of qualifying conditions for medical marijuana under the law.
During his update, Governor Beshear presented a slide with the proposed qualifying conditions for medical cannabis that he mentioned would benefit an additional 437,000 Kentuckians currently ineligible under the existing law.
For more information regarding the Medical Cannabis Program, visit kymedcan.ky.gov.
