BEAVER DAM, Ky. (WBKO) – Kentucky’s first medical cannabis dispensary officially opened Saturday, marking a major milestone nearly one year after medical cannabis use became legal in the state on Jan. 1, 2025.

The Post Dispensary in Beaver Dam cut the ribbon to become the first licensed medical cannabis dispensary to open in Kentucky.

Patients with qualifying conditions can now legally purchase cannabis products with their medical cards under the state’s medical cannabis law.

Patients travel across state for opening

People traveled from across the commonwealth to be among the first customers, with some driving hours to reach the dispensary.

For many patients, the opening represents a moment they have been waiting years for.

“The most severe condition that I’ve been suffering with is trigeminal neuralgia … And I’ve actually had two brain surgeries for it,” said Samantha Beeney a customer at The Post Dispensary. “I came here today hoping that I could get medical marijuana to decrease and hopefully eliminate my need for opioid pain medication.”

Matthew Goeing, a representative from Farmtucky, said the opening was emotional for the team. “Having been doing this for a year now, we got our license in October last year. It’s a wonderful feeling, you know, a little bit of pride, and then we got our product done and it’s just nice to see people out there wanting to come purchase it,” he said.

Expansion planned across Kentucky

The opening is just the beginning for Kentucky’s medical cannabis program. More than 40 other dispensaries are already licensed and in the process of opening across the state as the program continues to expand.

“It’s a milestone for the citizens of the Commonwealth and it’s really a healthy milestone. For the first time ever, the citizens have access to the medicine that they so could use,” said Trip Hoffman, owner of The Post Dispensary.

While supporters say medical cannabis offers relief for patients, others across the state have voiced concerns, citing potential public safety issues and worries about long-term impacts of legalization.

“If you’ve ever been around people that use cannabis, and you watch how it helps them with either anxiety and appetite, nausea, pain, even kids with seizures, and you give them certain kinds of cannabis, and they stop seizing, when you see that, you know that this is the right thing to be healthy. It’s a medicine for sure,” Hoffman said.

The Post Dispensary aims to provide access and education to patients in Ohio County and beyond.

One medical cannabis dispensary is licensed in Warren County and expected to open off Scottsville Road in the future.

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