(FRANKFORT, Ky.) — Kentucky’s medical cannabis program is moving forward with 48 dispensaries securing locations and practitioners now serving patients across 78 counties, state officials told lawmakers Wednesday.
The Interim Joint Committee on Health Services received its first comprehensive update on the program’s implementation since Senate Bill 47 established the framework in 2023. The legislation made 2025 the inaugural year for legal medical cannabis in the commonwealth.
Cannon Armstrong, executive director of the state Office of Medical Cannabis, reported that advanced practice registered nurses and medical doctors make up the majority of practitioners certifying patients for the program. Chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder have emerged as the most common qualifying conditions, though the program also covers cancer, chronic nausea, multiple sclerosis and seizure disorders.
Dispensaries Near Opening
The Post Dispensary in Ohio County is poised to become Kentucky’s first operational medical cannabis facility, with an anticipated opening this fall, Armstrong said. Nearly all approved dispensaries have secured permanent locations.
“Forty-six of our 48 dispensaries are in their forever homes,” Armstrong told committee members. “We have two more that still need to be settled, but we’re working on that. We should have those done before the end of the year.”
The program has waived a $25 patient card fee to help reduce costs for participants, though patients will still need to pay practitioner fees out of pocket since insurance does not cover medical cannabis.
Safety Concerns Raised
Lawmakers raised multiple concerns during the hearing, particularly about cannabis gummies and their appeal to children. Sen. Danny Carroll, R-Paducah, called colored gummies a “terrible mistake” after citing cases reviewed by the Child Fatality and Near Fatality Review Panel.
“Once again, the majority of cases that we heard were ingesting cases from children – some of them THC,” Carroll said.
Armstrong defended the safety measures, noting that gummy packaging will be child-resistant with a two-step opening process, tamper-evident seals and resealable features. The office is also conducting outreach about proper storage.
Sen. Karen Berg, D-Louisville, and Rep. Kimberly Poore Moser, R-Taylor Mill, the committee co-chair, echoed concerns that the gummies should look medicinal rather than like candy.
Rep. Scott Sharp, R-Ashland, questioned whether applicants who filed multiple applications for dispensary licenses under different company names at the same address had been investigated. Armstrong said such reviews have not occurred but did not rule out future scrutiny.
Industry Confidence
Despite the concerns, House Minority Whip Lindsey Burke, D-Lexington, praised the program’s structure and said industry participants have provided positive feedback.
“The thoughtfulness of the regulations, the way that this has been structured, makes them feel confident that they are able to do business in a way that is safe, is well-regulated,” Burke said. She added that distributors and dispensary owners have called Kentucky’s program one of the best in the country.
The Office of Medical Cannabis operates under the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and continues working with applicants through the licensing process.
