LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Medical marijuana will become legal in Kentucky in January, and ahead of that fast approaching deadline the state is making final preparations to ensure its launch goes off smoothly. On Thursday Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Kentucky, announced the two dates that dispensary license lotteries will be held. Both will happen before the end of the year. 

What You Need To Know

  • Kentucky’s medical marijuana program begins in Jan. 2025

  • Gov. Andy Beshear announced there will be two lotteries for picking the state’s 48 dispensaries

  • They will be held Nov. 25 and Dec. 16

  • More than 4,000 applications were submitted for potential dispensaries

The first will be held Monday, Nov. 25, at 2 p.m. at the Kentucky Lottery Corporation in Louisville. This will be for nine of the state’s 11 regions. Four businesses will be selected from each region.

The second lottery will occur Monday, Dec. 16 for Region 1 and Region 2. These regions cover the greater Louisville and Lexington areas, both will get four licenses. Fayette and Jefferson County will also get two licenses each.

“Like our lottery this week, the full dispensary lottery will be live streamed so Kentuckians can tune in and follow along. There is full transparency, people can see every single step along the way,” Beshear said.

Just over 4,000 applications were received by the state for dispensaries.

A Fayette County business, Farmtucky, received the state’s first cultivator license today.   

It is the first of 26 applicants chosen through a lottery Monday for cultivators and processors to receive one. 

“Kentucky-owned Farmtucky will produce medical cannabis at an enclosed indoor facility in Fayette County, Kentucky. We have submitted an ambitious plan to get started as part of our application to the office of Kentucky medical cannabis,” said owner Matt Koeing.

Cancer, chronic pain, epilepsy, chronic nausea or vomiting and post-traumatic stress disorder are all qualifying conditions for accessing medical marijuana.

Patients must receive the go ahead from their doctor before taking part in the state program. 

Voters in over 100 Kentucky cities and counties will be asked if they support allowing dispensaries and other marijuana businesses to operate in their area. 

Elsewhere, local governments have either green lit those types of businesses or banned them altogether.

Related Stories