Kentuckians seeking medical marijuana for qualifying conditions can now take the first step toward obtaining a medical marijuana card. The process officially began this month, with patients able to visit approved medical cannabis practitioners for the required written certification.
How The Process Works
Obtaining a medical marijuana involves these steps:
- Visit a Medical Cannabis Practitioner: Patients must first get a written certification from a registered medical cannabis provider.
- Apply Starting January 1 Using the certification, patients can submit an online application to the Kentucky Medical Cannabis Office.
- Receive a Digital Registry ID Card Upon approval, patients will receive a digital medical marijuana card within five days of application approval. These cards will be valid for one year.
When Will Medical Marijuana Be Available?
Although the application process opens January 1, medical marijuana is unlikely to be immediately available for purchase. Kentucky law mandates that all medical cannabis be grown and processed within the state. Licensed cultivators only recently began preparing their operations, and dispensaries depend on their production timelines.
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Conditions That Qualify
Patients must have one of the following conditions to qualify for a medical marijuana card:
- Cancer
- Chronic or severe pain
- Epilepsy or other seizure disorders
- Multiple sclerosis
- Chronic nausea
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Governor Andy Beshear announced a Registered Practitioner Directory would be available online as of December 1. While initial technical issues delayed the rollout due to inadvertent inclusion of personal contact information, the corrected directory is now live. Patients can access it here. The directory currently lists 180 certified practitioners across the state.
Norton Healthcare already has a policy in place to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations. Select providers in appropriate specialties are expected to become certified. For other health systems like Baptist Health, it is finalizing its guidelines, allowing individual providers to decide whether to become certified to write medical cannabis recommendations.
Others like UofL Health have not announced any public policies specific to medical marijuana.
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This article appears in Dec 4-17, 2024.