Last month, construction began on the first medical cannabis safety compliance facility in Kentucky. The site will be one of seven in the state created to ensure medical marijuana is safe and accessible for the more than 10,000 Kentuckians who currently hold a medical cannabis card.
Governor Andy Beshear said these facilities, in addition to the 48 planned dispensary sites, will create a system that aims to help people suffering from chronic pain, PTSD, cancer, and other serious conditions.
“We’ve been working to make this system one of the best in the country. We’re excited about its progress, and this is just another piece of trying to make sure we’re putting patients always first,” said the governor.
Beshear said 39 of the 48 planned dispensary sites have been approved. He added that since none of the dispensaries are operational yet, there will be no renewal fee for medical cannabis cardholders in 2026.
“These are the labs that are going to make sure all the products that are in dispensaries are safe, you know what you’re getting, and you know where it came from,” said Beshear. “They’re going to play an essential role in ensuring medical cannabis is accessible and safe for everyone.”
When the dispensaries are operational, the Office of Medical Cannabis’ Dispensary Directory will help cardholders find dispensaries close to them. That can be found at kymedcan.ky.gov.