In 2025, medical marijuana will be legal in Kentucky. Gov. Andy Beshear says the legalization of medical marijuana is something the majority of Kentuckians support, and it will provide relief for those suffering from certain medical conditions while also reducing the use of opioids.
For now, only people with cancer, PTSD, epilepsy, chronic pain, and nausea are eligible to receive medical marijuana cards. Despite the statewide legalization, counties and cities around the state can determine whether they want to welcome marijuana production facilities and dispensaries into their communities.
As the state begins to receive its first applications for medical marijuana businesses, many Northern Kentucky communities are now deciding how to proceed.
Local governments can create restrictions on where marijuana businesses can be located or prohibit them from operating entirely. Locally, several cities have already decided to pass ordinances to address the issue of whether to be a potential home for one of the area’s first legal marijuana distributors.
Counties can pass ordinances and opt in to allow marijuana businesses to operate, or can choose to opt out and prohibit those businesses from entering the county. Even if a county decides to opt-out, cities within the county can still pass ordinances of