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First round of Medical Cannabis Dispensary Licenses announced

Frankfort, KY - On November 25, 2024, Gov. Andy Beshear announced the results of the commonwealth's first of two license lotteries for medical cannabis dispensaries. During the event, held at the Kentucky Lottery Corporation in Louisville, 36 applicants were selected to receive medical cannabis dispensary licenses through a random number generator.

The only licensee announced in the 7-county area was JM Medicinals LLC, in Russell Springs. Three licensees were announced in Bowling Green, four in Hardin County, and two in Somerset, KY.

Russell Springs passed an ordinance allowing the sale of medical cannabis in July of 2024. The Adair County Fiscal Court and Columbia City Council passed ordinances not to allow the sale of medical cannabis, but Cumberland County, Green County, Metcalfe County, and Taylor County all had a majority vote to allow the sale of medical cannabis on ballot issues in the 2024 Kentucky general election. Statewide options can be viewed at kymedcan.ky.gov.

"Team Kentucky has worked hard to ensure that all medical cannabis business applicants have an equal and fair chance to become a part of this emerging industry," said Gov. Beshear. "Today's dispensary announcement moves us one step closer to ensuring Kentuckians with serious medical conditions have access to the safe, affordable medicine they need."


Four selectees from each of the following dispensary regions were pulled at the drawing:

  • Region 3: Northeast: comprising Bath, Boyd, Carter, Elliott, Fleming, Greenup, Lewis, Mason, Menifee, Montgomery, Morgan, Nicholas, Robertson and Rowan counties.


  • Region 4: South Central: comprising Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Logan, Metcalfe, Monroe, Simpson and Warren counties.


  • Region 5: Cumberland: comprising Bell, Casey, Clinton, Cumberland, Harlan, Knox, Laurel, Lincoln, McCreary, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Russell, Wayne and Whitley counties.


  • Region 6: Mountain: comprising Breathitt, Clay, Estill, Floyd, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, Owsley, Perry, Pike, Powell and Wolfe counties.


  • Region 7: Pennyrile: comprising Caldwell, Christian, Hopkins, Lyon, Muhlenberg, Todd and Trigg counties.


  • Region 8: West Kentucky: comprising Ballard, Calloway, Carlisle, Crittenden, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Livingston, McCracken and Marshall counties.


  • Region 9: Lincoln Trail: comprising Adair, Breckinridge, Grayson, Green, Hardin, Hart, LaRue, Marion, Meade, Nelson, Taylor and Washington counties.


  • Region 10: Northen Kentucky: comprising Boone, Bracken, Campbell, Carroll, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton, Owen and Pendleton counties.


  • Region 11: Green River: comprising Daviess, Hancock, Henderson, McLean, Ohio, Union and Webster counties.


Click here for the complete list of businesses that were randomly selected in the first license lottery for dispensaries: https://governor.ky.gov/attachments/20241125_KyMedCan_Dispensary-Selectees.pdf.

"The Kentucky Office of Medical Cannabis received 4,998 applications, of which 4,075 were dispensary applicants," said Sam Flynn, executive director of the Kentucky Office of Medical Cannabis. "Those applicants selected in today's license lottery will have 15 days to pay their license fees. Once the fee has been paid, the office will issue a license to that business."

Flynn added that a second license lottery for dispensaries will occur Dec. 16, and the regions that will be pulled on that date are Region 1: Bluegrass, Region 1: Fayette County only, Region 2: Kentuckiana and Region 2: Jefferson County only. To learn more about the licensing structure and application process, visit kymedcan.ky.gov.

"The Kentucky Lottery is honored to be asked to conduct the required drawings, and we thank the Governor for allowing us to be a part of this impactful initiative," said Kentucky Lottery President and CEO Mary Harville. "Over the 35 years of its existence, the Lottery has been known for conducting drawings for a plethora of its draw-based games, first with machines and balls, and now, with state-of-the-art random number generators. These drawings are conducted with the highest level of integrity and are in accordance with industry established procedures. We are happy to be able to bring this level of integrity to the cannabis drawings."

"This is an exciting moment for Kentucky," said Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary Eric Friedlander. "By providing medical cannabis as a safe, regulated treatment option, we are not only creating new opportunities for economic growth but, more importantly, more hope and choice for those with serious medical conditions."

The Beshear administration is committed to ensuring Kentuckians with qualifying medical conditions have access to safe, affordable treatment.


This story was posted on 2024-11-25 16:32:55
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