FRANKFORT, Ky. ( FOX 56 ) — Kentucky is just six months away from launching its medical marijuana program. July 1 marked another significant step in the process with businesses officially beginning to file paperwork to get growing. There could be as many as 1.2 million Kentuckians eligible for a medical marijuana card . Every step, from seed to storefront, has to happen within state borders.
“Everyone’s a little bit different. But, you know, it’s all about making sure that you’ve got a plan in place for a lot of contingencies,” executive director of Kentucky NORML Matthew Bratcher told FOX 56.
Kentucky businesses will soon be able to apply for medical marijuana licenses In April, prospective cannabis businesses learned that licensing applications were opening on July 1, as opposed to the end of the year, thanks to this year’s House Bill 829. That bill was signed in hopes that most of the business framework could be created ahead of the program’s full launch in 2025.
“These applications are fairly complicated. There’s a lot of ground to cover. You basically got to have a lot of your standard operating procedures sort of in the front of your mind and ready to go,” Bratcher explained.
After the window closes on August 31, Kentucky will hold a license lottery in October to decide which businesses get the first set of cultivator, processor, and dispensary licenses. There’s a limited number available for each.
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Initially, only 48 dispensary licenses will be distributed, but there are additional limitations. Only one can be issued per county, aside from Fayette and Jefferson where two are allowed, and a maximum of four licenses may be distributed per licensing region. The state is broken up into 11 licensing regions. As Bratcher explained, finding a place for these businesses is a challenge of its own.
“As a lot of the zoning is shaking out. We’re finding the municipalities are becoming even more a little bit more stricter, narrowing down really where these places can be,” he said.
State law prohibits cannabis businesses from operating within 1500 feet of a school or daycare. Local governments have the freedom to add more restrictions if they choose. Because of this, and the tight timeline to launch, Bratcher has some concerns about the state’s ability to meet demand, especially early on.
“It’s probably too early to tell. But I think I’m going to err on the side of we won’t be necessarily ready come January one. You know, dispensary buildouts can take up to four months,” Bratcher said.
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Kentuckians won’t know for sure until Jan. 1, when the program launches in full, and patients can begin applying for a medical cannabis card.
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