Gov. Beshear selects first businesses to receive Medical Cannabis Dispensary Licenses

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WBKO) – Gov. Andy Beshear announced the results of the first of two license lotteries for medical cannabis dispensaries today.

36 applicants were selected to receive medical cannabis dispensary licenses through a random number generator.

“Team Kentucky has worked hard to ensure that all medical cannabis business applicants have an equal and fair chance to become a part of this emerging industry,” said Gov. Beshear in a press release. “Today’s dispensary announcement moves us one step closer to ensuring Kentuckians with serious medical conditions have access to the safe, affordable medicine they need.”

According to Sam Flynn, the executive director of the Kentucky Office of Medical Cannabis, the Kentucky Office of Medical Cannabis received 4,998 applications, of which 4,075 were dispensary applicants.

“Those applicants selected in today’s license lottery will have 15 days to pay their license fees. Once the fee has been paid, the office will issue a license to that business,” Flynn said.

Four selectees from each of the following dispensary regions were pulled at the drawing:

• Region 3: Northeast: comprising Bath, Boyd, Carter, Elliott, Fleming, Greenup, Lewis, Mason, Menifee, Montgomery, Morgan, Nicholas, Robertson and Rowan counties.
• Region 4: South Central: comprising Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Logan, Metcalfe, Monroe, Simpson and Warren counties.
• Region 5: Cumberland: comprising Bell, Casey, Clinton, Cumberland, Harlan, Knox, Laurel, Lincoln, McCreary, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Russell, Wayne and Whitley counties.
• Region 6: Mountain: comprising Breathitt, Clay, Estill, Floyd, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, Owsley, Perry, Pike, Powell and Wolfe counties.
• Region 7: Pennyrile: comprising Caldwell, Christian, Hopkins, Lyon, Muhlenberg, Todd, and Trigg counties.
• Region 8: West Kentucky: comprising Ballard, Calloway, Carlisle, Crittenden, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Livingston, McCracken and Marshall counties.
• Region 9: Lincoln Trail: comprising Adair, Breckinridge, Grayson, Green, Hardin, Hart, LaRue, Marion, Meade, Nelson, Taylor and Washington counties.
• Region 10: Northern Kentucky: comprising Boone, Bracken, Campbell, Carroll, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton, Owen and Pendleton counties.
• Region 11: Green River: comprising Daviess, Hancock, Henderson, McLean, Ohio, Union, and Webster counties.

To see the complete list of businesses that were randomly selected, click here.

The second license lottery for dispensaries will occur on Dec. 16. Regions that will be pulled on that date are Region 1: Bluegrass, Region 1: Fayette County only, Region 2: Kentuckiana, and Region 2: Jefferson County only.

To learn more about the licensing structure and application process, visit kymedcan.ky.gov.

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