FLORENCE, Ky. — Issue 2 passed in Ohio, which will legalize recreational marijuana in the state.
There are now many Kentuckians eager to travel across the Ohio River to take advantage of the new law.
Elizabeth Kirby, owner of the Your CBD Store in Florence, sells products that change her customers’ lives, helping with things like pain relief, nausea and sleep.
“I love hearing our customer’s success stories. It’s one of my favorite parts of my job,” Kirby said. “Pretty much what we have here in the CBD store is very close to what you would get at a [marijuana] dispensary, but at a lower price.”
Kirby was paying close attention when Ohio voters passed Issue 2, which allows people 21 and older to buy and possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis, up to 15 grams of marijuana concentrate and grow up to six plants at home.
“We’re all very excited about that, and actually I’ve been on the phone a lot this morning talking with people about it. Our customers are very excited about it. I know they’ll be excited to travel across the river and make some purchases and experiment a little bit with the products,” she said.
Medical marijuana sales don’t start until 2025 in Kentucky. But Ohio’s move to legalize recreational use has got Kirby’s customers thinking.
“We’ve always had a lot of people ask us when we think it’s going to be legalized recreationally here in Kentucky, and like I said, baby steps, we’re working toward that,” she said.
Until that happens, customers won’t be able to bring the products they buy from dispensaries in Ohio back to Kentucky for recreational use. But when those dispensaries open, they might become the new best option for Kentucky patients who have medical licenses through Gov. Andy Beshear’s, D-Ky., executive order.
Those people currently have to go to Illinois or Michigan, other states with legal recreational marijuana, to get products. While medical marijuana has been legal in Ohio, it’s not reciprocal with Kentucky.
“Issue 2 serves as a stark reminder that the winds of change are sweeping across the nation. Potential for increased tourism and tax revenue through cannabis sales looms large. Kentucky risks missing out on a golden opportunity if it fails to take similar steps in the future,” said Matthew Bratcher, Executive Director of Kentucky NORML. “It’s not just about being on the right side of history. It’s about securing our state’s economic future and ensuring that the benefits remain right here at home.”
Kentucky NORML advocates for responsible cannabis reform that benefits communities and enhances quality of life. Bratcher said he feels optimistic about recreational marijuana becoming legal in Kentucky in the future.
Kirby says she thinks it’s coming, too.
“I think we’ll get there in the end. It may take a couple years,” she said.