Cannabis business ballot issue passes across the state

BOURBON CO., Ky. (LEX 18) — Counties and cities across the state included the question of allowing cannabis business operations on Election Day ballots.

While some cities have already decided to allow business, other cities and counties have left the choice to the people.

“It was very clear to us that medical cannabis was coming either way,” said Paris-Bourbon County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lauren Biddle. “The question was, did we want this in our communities?”

On Election Day, Bourbon County voted to allow medical marijuana businesses in the area.

“What it does, is this is going to have more regulations on it,” said Biddle. “It’s going to allow people to use the dispensary and it’s going to keep more money in our community.”

“I think it would be unfit for our local communities to opt out of selling those things, because people are just going to go in our nearby communities and spend their money elsewhere, so for a small community like Bourbon County this was the right choice to do that.”

Bourbon County joined more than 100 different jurisdictions across Kentucky that had a medical cannabis question, and it passed in every single one.

“I think that speaks volumes about where we are as a society and how we feel about marijuana as a treatment for ailments,” said Tom Ramsey, president of Georgetown-Scott County Chamber of Commerce.

With statewide acceptance, there are now opportunities for the counties to generate revenue from a new source.

“When medical cannabis came out in Ohio, medical cannabis came out in Illinois, all those states have reaped the benefits from a taxation standpoint,” Ramsey said. “There were some numbers that were thrown around, close to $1 million in additional tax revenue that will be created by these businesses that have been approved to come to Georgetown and Scott County.”

For the users, Dr. Brian Smith, owner of Versailles Family Medicine, sees safety benefits.

“The other big thing I think is worth mentioning that a lot of patients talk about is being able to purchase it and not purchase it on the street, because a lot of the cannabis that we see purchased on the street has been mixed with fentanyl or cocaine or meth,” he said.

Dr. Smith also added that patients will benefit from having shorter drives.

While the state has not yet decided where businesses will be able to sell medical marijuana, that lottery will be held later this year.