In celebration of the legalization of adult use cannabis in Ohio and anticipation to the roll out of Kentucky’s Medical Marijuana program, I wanted to share the most important lesson I learned when shopping for legal cannabis.

Kentucky legislators have introduced a bill to legalize and regulate cannabis for adults over 21, as well allow people to expunge cannabis-related misdemeanors from their records for free. House Bill 420 has gradually picked up sponsors since it was put before the state legislature on January 30, but under a GOP supermajority it is unlikely to be signed into law.

Kentucky’s neighbor to the north just took a big stride in the cannabis industry. People in Ohio voted to legalize recreational marijuana use.

Under Governor Andy Beshear’s executive order that was issued in 2022, Kentuckians with one of 21 severe medical conditions are able to travel across state lines to get medical marijuana.

By Karen O’Keefe, Director of State Policies, Marijuana Policy Project, Jaime Zerbe, Chief of Staff, Smart Approaches to Marijuana, and Lauren Bratcher, Deputy Director, Kentucky NORML

A new FOX 56/Emerson College poll found the majority of likely Kentucky Republican primary voters are against legalizing recreational marijuana. Of the respondents, the majority (50.2%) do not think it should be legal in the state. Meanwhile, 33.8% said they support recreational marijuana use, and 16.1% were still undecided.