By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1
Roughly a month after Kentucky businesses and individuals were eligible to apply for medical cannabis licenses, the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services reported that Barren County, across all of the licensing distinctions, had submitted eight applications.
On Mar.31, 2023 Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear signed into law House Bill 47, which made medical cannabis legal throughout the commonwealth on Jan 1, 2025. Since that time the Office of Medical Cannabis — a department under the Cabinet for Health and Family Services — was created and charged with crafting regulations and “implementing and administering Kentucky’s Medical Cannabis Program.”
While some of the regulations deal with medical cannabis advertising and transportation, a few others delineate between different types of businesses based on each business’ purview. Currently there are four different business licenses available including cultivators, which it further divides into tiers based on the facilities square footage, processors, safety compliance facilities and dispensaries.
According to the office’s updated information, they have received a total of 1,227 license applications with far-and-away the largest portion of that being dispensary applications at 1,002. Stephanie French with CHFS office of public affairs, said via email Barren County had one Tier 1 Cultivator application, one Tier 2, one Tier 3, one processor application and four licensing applications for dispensaries.
According to previous reporting, Barren County, Glasgow and Cave City opted in thereby allowing medical cannabis business to locate within their municipality. Park City has opted out.
In light of that Kevin Myatt, planning director with the Joint City-County Planning Commission, recommended amendments to Glasgow’s and Cave City’s zoning ordinances specifying, on the local level, where certain businesses could and could not locate.
House Bill 47 goes into effect on Jan. 1.
The medical cannabis issue is complex with state regulations changing frequently. If you would like to read more about the regulations and laws peruse the Kentucky Office of Medical Cannabis website here.
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