On November 25, Governor Andy Beshear revealed the results of Kentucky’s first medical cannabis dispensary license lottery, marking a milestone in the state’s journey toward providing safe, regulated access to medical cannabis. During the drawing at the Kentucky Lottery Corporation in Louisville, 36 applicants were selected across eight regions of the state, setting the stage for a transformative new industry.
Notably absent from the first round of announcements were selectees from Jefferson County, home to Louisville. However, Governor Beshear assured that Louisville and Lexington, along with the Bluegrass and Kentuckiana regions, would be included in the second round of lottery selections on December 16.
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Who Made The First Cut?
The initial lottery focused on several regions outside of Louisville and Lexington, selecting four applicants from each of the following areas:
- Northeast Region: Covering counties like Bath, Boyd, and Montgomery.
- South Central Region: Including Barren, Warren, and Simpson counties.
- Cumberland Region: Featuring Pulaski, Knox, and Lincoln counties.
- Mountain Region: Spanning Pike, Perry, and Floyd counties.
- Pennyrile Region: Including Christian, Hopkins, and Trigg counties.
- West Kentucky Region: McCracken, Graves, and Livingston counties.
- Lincoln Trail Region: Featuring Hardin, Nelson, and Taylor counties.
- Northern Kentucky Region: Kenton, Boone, and Campbell counties.
The full list of selected applicants is available on the state’s medical cannabis website. These businesses have 15 days to pay licensing fees before the licenses are officially issued.
Those applicants were reported by Louisville Public Media as having closer ties to larger out-of-state cannabis companies that applied several times during the application period, beating out smaller, in-state rivals in the lottery system designed by the Beshear administration.
The first dispensaries are expected to open in early 2025, with medical cannabis certifications for patients starting on December 1. Louisville residents eager to learn more about the process can attend Kentucky Marijuana Card’s grand opening on December 14, where pre-booked appointments and walk-ins will be accommodated.
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This article appears in Nov 20 – Dec 3, 2024.