By Melissa Patrick
Kentucky Health News

The Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky‘s next “Health for a Change” webinar is titled “Medical Cannabis & Community Partnership Opportunities.” It will be Friday, June 13, at 11 a.m. ET. Click here to register.
 
This free webinar will bring together a panel of experts to help understand Kentucky’s medical cannabis program, the current status of the industry and how to help patients who qualify access the cards so they can be prepared.

The event will also share information about how the Kentucky Cannabis Industry Alliance (KCIA) can support communities through the process.

“From reducing cost barriers to tabling at your local events, KCIA can be a resource to help the people you serve,” says the release. KCIA will also provide the latest updates about the medical cannabis industry in Kentucky.

The panelists include:

• Rachel Roberts, KCIA executive director
• Sara Osborne, MML&K Government Solutions
• Cannon Armstrong, executive director, Office of Medical Cannabis
• Casey Flippo, CEO of Gold Leaf
• Dr. Gabrielle Morris, Duber Medical

This webinar comes on the heels of Gov. Andy Beshear breaking ground on the first medical cannabis safety compliance facility in the state on Wednesday, May 28. This facility will be one of seven.

“Team Kentucky is dedicated to ensuring every Kentuckian with a qualifying condition has safe access to quality medical cannabis,” Beshear said in a news release. “I’m excited to see this new industry take root here in Graves County because I believe health care is a basic human right.”

The next day, Beshear announced at his weekly press conference that the state has launched a dispensary directory so cardholders can see where dispensaries will be located. He said 39 of the 48 initial dispensary locations have been confirmed.

“None of these dispensaries are open yet, but you can go ahead and see where the dispensaries will be located so that you can make plans, when they’re open, how you’re going to secure your medical cannabis,” he said.

He also signed an executive order to waive the 2026 renewal application fees for patients who get their cards this year. The fee is $25.

“While we expect some of these dispensaries to be open this year, you may have gotten one in January and have not been able to use it, at least for this first half of the year,” he said. “I know it’s a small amount, but it’s only fair.”

Patients were able to start applying for medical cannabis cards on Jan. 1. Since that time, 10,224 medical cannabis cards have been issued, along with 15,108 written certifications.