Kentucky advances Medical Marijuana business application date for smoother rollout
Kentucky lawmakers took action to make sure the new medical marijuana program rolls out smoothly.
The program is set to go online January 1.
To meet demand, they're moving up the date businesses can begin applying for licenses.
“We have a wide range of clients, we have young 20 something year old's all the way to people in their 80s and everybody in between,” said Elizabeth Kirby, the owner of Your CBD in Florence.
Kirby opened up her CBD store in Florence 5 years ago after she retired as a special education teacher.
“I’m still helping people which I really enjoy, teaching them about everything and how it can help their body,” said Kirby.
Kirby's now excited about the new way she said she'll be able to help more people with the rollout of medical marijuana in Kentucky.
“I’m very encouraged in the direction that we’re going in Kentucky with the medical marijuana. Our customers are very excited about that, they ask us daily about when it’s going to be available,” said Kirby.
Governor Beshear signed the medical marijuana bill into law last week.
It pushed up the timeline on when businesses like Kirby's can apply for a license to sell.
All of this is ahead of the program starting on January 1.
“Before these new regulations came out, as of January 1, it would be legal to have a dispensary and sell it but there wouldn’t be any producers of it yet,” said Kirby.
The new state law read that the application process will open July 1 and run through August 31. They will then be given out in a lottery system, with 10 going to processors and 48 going to dispensaries.
Kirby said the lottery for the licenses will level the playing field for everyone who applies.
“It’s great because no one has an advantage, a bigger corporation compared to a small business owner like myself,” said Kirby.
She said it's important to get ahead of the game to compete with other neighboring states that already have a medical marijuana program.
“We’re very excited. I know everyone in Kentucky is very excited about it,” said Kirby.
