NORML Comes to the Capital: The Inaugural Kentucky Cannabis Conference March 2024
It was hard not to be haunted upon entering the Kentucky Cannabis Conference. Pictures, from Tamara Lyn Netzel’s book The Human Cost of Marihuana Prohibition lined the walkway leading into the conference hall. The images, which document the impact of criminal injustice system on the lives of otherwise law-abiding citizens, are a stark reminder of the reality that for another 9 months Kentucky continues as one of the few states still living under outdated, 20th century cannabis laws. Supposedly, that all changes January 1, 2025 when Kentucky joins the near 40 states who have already legalized medical or adult use marijuana.
The inaugural Kentucky Cannabis Conference, organized by Kentucky NORML (National Organization for the Reformation of Marijuana Laws) was an opportunity for various stakeholders at every level to discuss the next steps. Spanning 3 days, March 7-9, the conference featured 26 exhibitors/presenters and attracted over 145 paid attendees. Actual attendance was even more significant with legislators and state regulatory employees making use of their free admission. Looking back, it is safe to say that the inaugural Kentucky Cannabis Conference was an unqualified success.
Matthew and Lauren Bratcher, Director and Deputy Director of Kentucky NORML organizers of the conference, selected the time and location for a reason. Frankfort is the state capital, and the legislature was in active session. In fact, during the most recent session the legislature actively debated HB829 which places even more restrictions on what is already considered one of the nation’s most restrictive MMJ laws. In short, HB829 is Kentucky’s supposedly small government legislature doing its best to infringe on parental rights, patient rights and the doctor patient privilege.
But discussing Kentucky’s current legislative agenda was only part of the weekend’s activities. According to Lauren Bratcher, Deputy Director of Kentucky NORML one of the main goals of the conference was to “establish expertise and leadership” in the cannabis space. To that end the event’s 145 attendees, drawn from over 14 states, were treated to a comprehensive bill of presenters and exhibitors.
Spanning two conference halls, the list of presenters and exhibitors included: advocacy groups, consultants, lawyers, municipal policy advisors, banking and finance consultants, recommending doctors, retail establishments, product wholesalers, two universities, testing labs, extraction experts and a variety of other businesses and services. There was even a place for authors and historians.
Twelve “advanced track” presentations were featured in the education hall while another fourteen presenters were featured in the adjacent “expo hall”. According to Bratcher, the “speakers covered a wide range of topics relevant to the industry on both the patient/consumer side as well as the business side.”
KY NORML also made a conscious effort “to honor and thank those who have put in hard work towards cannabis policy reform in Kentucky.” The inaugural Galbraith Gold Award: Celebrating Excellence and Legacy in Honor of Louis Gatewood Galbraith was awarded to longtime activist Danny Pyler. Galbraith, a pivotal figure in Kentucky politics, made cannabis law reform an electoral issue in Kentucky throughout the late 1980s, 90s and early 2000s.
Other award winners included Jeremy Jacobs who received the Distinguished Supporter Award, Dee Dee Taylor owner of 502 Hemp and member of Governor Andy Beshear’s Team Kentucky Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee who was named the Green Harmony
Ambassador: For Outstanding Excellence in Building Bridges to the Cannabis Business Community and longtime cannabis advocate Nancy Roberts owner of the One Love Dispensary who was recognized with the Pioneer’s Legacy: Recognizing the OG (Original Groundbreaker).
Among the legislative award winners the Pillar of Progress Award was bestowed upon State representatives Al Gentry (D) Louisville, a disabled veteran, in recognition of his legislative accomplishments. Meanwhile, Representative Nima Kularni was honored with the Champion of Change Award for working to create a “fair and inclusive landscape”. Finally, state Senator Stephen Ward received the Healing Advocate Award.
Parts of the event were designed to “celebrate the current state of our industry” as it “will never be the same again”. But organizers Matthew and Lauren Bratcher also wanted to look forward, constructing a list of presenters “to give anyone interested in entering this industry a clear factual view of what it entails and how much work it is.” Said Lauren, “I wanted those people to fully understand that the medical market will be tightly controlled and regulated.”
Presentation topics ranged from legal issues (Cannabis Criminalization in Kentucky, Don’t Get Busted: How to Avoid Regulatory and Criminal Issues), to medical topics (The Endocannabinoid System-Our Master Regulatory System, Ohio Medical Marijuana Program 2019-present; a Recommending Physicians Perspective) and included panel discussions (Women in Kentucky Cannabis Panel, Cornbread Mafia Q&A Panel and Book Signing). There was even a history lecture. There was literally something for everyone.
Many of the presentations were by people working in businesses from states that currently have some form of legal cannabis. This gave attendees, including legislators and regulators, opportunity to interact with people possessing firsthand knowledge of what works and what does not.
The success of this year’s conference has already created anticipation for future events. Not to worry, when asked, Lauren and Matthew were adamant that establishing an annual event was one of the key goals for the conference, “…we wanted (the) Legislature and CHFS Regulators to know that we will hold this event around the same time every year and that we are there to be an education resource to them.”
Will Kentucky’s legislators make use of this valuable resource to learn and make much needed improvements to what currently reads as a fear-based law? Will the legislature grow a heart and incorporate patient considerations into the law? But, lobbying and educating legislators is just one goal. “Next year, we hope to bring in more patients and work to help them navigate the medical card process and to also host expungement clinics during the conference.” Over all the conference “will be bigger and better, with more exhibitors.”
Let’s hope that in 2025 KY NORML influences the Kentucky State Legislature to take it higher, and pass significant cannabis reform.
Hey, don’t be a “Bogart”, pass some NORML around to your friends.
DAN ISENSTEIN
An unabashed history nerd, Dan Isenstein started doing serious research into cannabis hemp while a graduate student in the Popular Culture Studies program at Bowling Green State University. Tales from the Kentucky Hemp Highway, Dan's first book, builds on the research utilized in creating the self-directed eponymous tour launched in 2016. In addition to research and writing, Dan also chaired the organizing committee for the inaugural Winchester Hemp Harvest Festival in 2019 and authored several articles about hemp in Terpenes and Testing Magazine. Dan also hosts Hemp Threads: Weaving an Industry on the Hemp Highway of Kentucky YouTube channel.
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