In our quiet & patient lead-up to medical dispensaries being available across Kentucky, there are options that Medical Cannabis registry ID card holders have for legally purchasing cannabis. As of this writing, no medical dispensaries are open in the state of Kentucky, so driving to a recreational cannabis state is the next option. As previously stated, Michigan is the go-to place for recreational cannabis regionally; because Michigan lawmakers understood that quality, pricing and availability are critical in patient access and care.
Other states that touch Kentucky, have not done well, and are actually seeing cannabis sales numbers fall because they choose a high cost/high taxation model in a bid to beat “the street price”. Ohio is so costly that we have personally talked to medical patients from Ohio – who drove a couple of hours to Michigan to purchase medical cannabis because Ohio’s model is choosing high prices and high taxation.
Illinois chose the same model as Ohio, and Missouri is only a little better as far as price, quality and availability. Even if medical patients don’t pay state taxes on purchases, the total weight at purchase or the medical pricing is still too high and more of a hassle, so patients feel the need to drive 2 hours each way to access cannabis, seems a bit much, don’t you think?
Okay, so where does this leave us?
The honest answer, it’s still kind of a mixed bag. Cannabis is still illegal at the Federal level, so we need to exercise caution when crossing state lines. Governor Beshear signed Executive Order #2022-798 in November 2022 “that provides some protections for medical patients who bought cannabis where it is legal. This Executive Order is planned to be rescinded once medical cannabis patients can legally purchase cannabis in Kentucky.”
While Governor Beshear’s EO allowed up to 8 ounces of cannabis to be in original packaging with a receipt – Kentucky Medical Cannabis registry ID card holders can only have a 30-day supply on them at any given time. EO #2022-798 will be rescinded as soon as medical cannabis is available in Kentucky, like we said, it’s a mixed bag.
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A side note, Governor Beshear’s Executive Order #2025-335 states that anyone approved by the Office of Medical Cannabis to receive a medical cannabis card in calendar year 2025, shall waive the $25 renewal fee for 2026. So those granted medical ID cards in 2025 will be grandfathered in next year, don’t delay!
Let’s talk numbers: Registered cardholders are allowed to possess and transport the standard supply of medical cannabis in raw plant material or product format equivalency. A 30-day supply means 112 grams (4 ounces) of raw plant material and 28 grams of concentrates and up to 3,900 milligrams of THC-infused products. So you have your cannabis, concentrates and infused items, here are the required activities:
- Carrying your medical cannabis registry ID card when in possession of medical cannabis products
- Keeping medical cannabis in its original container during transport
- Maintaining at least a two-step process to access medical cannabis while driving or operating machinery
- When requested by law enforcement, providing your medical cannabis card and valid ID
So you know the travel requirements now, it’s time to hit the road. It’s always a wiser choice to travel through states that have recreational cannabis, with that said, it’s also unwise to travel through states that are very strict (looking at you Indiana). Head to dispensaries in say, Monroe, Michigan via Cincinnati and things can tend to go smoother.
You will need to have your PhotoID/license scanned upon dispensary entrance and if it’s your first time they will need to capture some extra info. The good news is, many places will have first time rewards for you and you might get a free eighth or pre-rolls. It’s smart to bring cash, and you save the ATM fees associated with card purchases. Ask your budtender any questions and enjoy the selection!
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We aren’t sure yet which type of dispensary model Kentucky will adopt, but there are a few different types of dispensaries we have seen in the past. There’s what many consider the Bank model, where customers wait in a secure room until a budtender is ready to help. Many times in this type of dispensary, all cannabis is pre-packaged and pre-weighed. There’s not really big jars of cannabis hanging out, like the more retail/cafe style models. In the Bank models there are just rows and rows of cannabis packages on shelves – seemingly for miles!
Similar to the Bank model, is the Pharmacy model, which is similar in that everything is pre-packaged and weighed, but the receipt is your order pickup at a separate window or area. Some dispensaries in other states have kiosks and on-line ordering, so that everything is transacted digitally and picked-up when ready.
At retail/cafe models as in Michigan, the budtenders weigh-out the product at the time of sale – on a scale that’s connected to the Point of Sale (POS) system. That’s the most exciting model for consumers we believe, because there’s interactions, smells, visuals – and it’s the model we hope is the aim in Kentucky.
The ins-and-outs of cannabis consumption differ from person to person, can change over time and for the casual consumer, need to be stair-stepped into for the best experience. As always, cannabis use is a person-by-person experience, so not everyone’s experience is the same. Take your time, enjoy the ride. Email Mayor Wando: leo@leoweekly.com
Remember, we’re not telling you to use cannabis, but if you do, be informed.
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This article appears in Aug 1-31, 2025.