Kentucky hosts lottery for first medical marijuana business licenses

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — It’s full steam ahead to establish medical marijuana in Kentucky. Gov. Andy Beshear and the Kentucky Lottery announced Monday the state’s first legal medical cannabis cultivators and processors — moving one step closer to getting the product into the hands of those who need it.

“Medical cannabis is happening,” Beshear said during the announcement.

Kentucky selected the first medical marijuana businesses via lottery draw. The lottery was divided into sections — processors, cultivator tier 1, cultivator tier 2 and cultivator tier 3. The cultivators were categorized into sizes, 1 being the smallest and 3 the biggest.

Hundreds of processors and cultivators underwent an application process leading to the lottery. Many businesses chosen during the lottery are based in Western Kentucky. The operations announced in Northern Kentucky are in Bracken and Grant counties and fall under tier 1.

Beshear said this will be a homegrown effort that creates jobs.

“The way this is set up, they have to grow, they have to process, they have to dispense here,” he shared. “All the employees will be here.”

On Oct. 31, officials will announce dispensers that will sell it to patients.

Beshear said he’s aware of the chronic and severe pain many, including veterans and cancer patients, are feeling in Kentucky.

“The best way to look at this is health care,” he said.

Those looking to acquire medical cannabis, officials said, will need to go through a medical professional. This treatment is very situational, ranging from ointments to edible products and other forms.

“(It’s) legit regulated set of medicine that’s going to be there, that can be trusted in terms of quality,” he said. “You’ll have a health care professional to talk to.”

More information can be found here.