At the heart of Humans of Cannabis in a Renaissance of Hope are the voices of people who have found relief, resilience, and empowerment through cannabis. Each of the over 50 stories in this book, including NORML founder, Keith Stroup, and JM Pedini, Development Director of NORML and many other advocates, entrepreneurs, and patients, highlights the deeply personal journeys of those who’ve advocated and turned to cannabis for their health, healing, or hope.

With dispensaries in Ohio now selling recreational marijuana, many residents in neighboring Kentucky who use cannabis may be thinking about making a trip across the Ohio River, activists say. "As Ohio gets rec, people are going to be like, 'OK, shorter trip. I don't have to go to Michigan, don't have to go to Illinois,'" said Matthew Bratcher, executive director of the Kentucky Chapter of National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, referring to the state's previous two closest neighbors with legal recreational marijuana.

Recreational marijuana sales began in Ohio on Tuesday, so what does this mean for Kentucky? Will Kentuckians drive more than an hour north to purchase and or consume product and bring it back with them back into the Commonwealth even though it’s illegal in Kentucky? We have several perspectives on this issue, from the Fayette County attorney to a man who says he went to jail for two days and spent a thousand dollars in court costs for simple possession of marijuana.

This past week, July 11, 2024 I joined the KYNORML team of Matthew and Lauren Bratcher for my first true cannabis event, The Ohio Classic Golf Tournament and Exposition. I have been to “hemp” events, including a couple of Southern Hemp Expositions, but never a cannabis event in a legal state. To say I was excited is an understatement of epic proportions.

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.