BRECKINRIDGE COUNTY, Ky. — Starting in Jan. 2025, medical marijuana will become legal in Kentucky, and doctors across the state are preparing to help patients access it. Physicians can now begin getting people their medical marijuana cards, which won’t be issued until January.

What You Need To Know

  • Kentucky doctors are now preparing to recommend medical marijuana, with becomes legal in January

  • Patients must complete in-person appointments before taking part in the program

  • Some doctors are already seeing high interest from potential users

For Breckinridge County resident Amber Riggs, this is good news. Riggs has dealt with chronic pain for years and while treatments exist for it, after weighting their cost and effectiveness, decided to seek other remedies.

“I’ve had multiple car accidents, trampoline accidents and a lot of back, neck and hip pain that affects my quality of life,” Riggs said.

Amber Riggs recently received a doctor’s recommendation to use medical marijuana once it becomes available in 2025 (Spectrum News 1/Mason Brighton)
Amber Riggs recently received a doctor’s recommendation to use medical marijuana once it becomes available in Kentucky in 2025. (Spectrum News 1/Mason Brighton)

Riggs recently met with a doctor and was given a recommendation to use medical marijuana.

“When I got home, I got an email about three hours later that said, ‘Congratulations, you have a certificate available,’” she explained.

Dr. Ryan Grell, a Louisville anesthesiologist who opened a clinic focused on medical marijuana earlier this year, said patients must complete in-person appointments as required by state law.

“We’ve been quite busy with people trying to make their appointments and get established as qualifying patients before the dispensaries open next month,” Grell said.

His clinic has already seen about 150 patients and expects interest to remain strong into 2025.

Grell emphasized the visit provides an opportunity to guide patients on finding the right products and strains for them.

“One, it allows patients, if you’ve had experience with medical cannabis from other states or programs where it’s recreational, if you’ve got something that works for you, you’re able to take that. But also we’re able to kind of help guide and give patients who don’t have experience, a baseline,” Grell said.

“I just really hope people can give it a try and get relief from their symptoms,” Riggs said.

To qualify for a medical marijuana card, you must have at least one of the following conditions:

  • Any type or form of cancer;
  • Chronic or severe pain;
  • Epilepsy or other intractable seizure disorder; 
  • Multiple sclerosis, muscle spasms, or spasticity;
  • Chronic nausea or cyclical vomiting syndrome; or
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder.

To search for nearby practitioners who may recommend medical cannabis, go to the state’s Office of Medical Cannabis website. 

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