As more states adopt medical cannabis programs to provide relief for patients, an alarming and unconstitutional trend continues to threaten the rights of those seeking therapeutic cannabis treatments: the denial of their 2nd Amendment rights. For patients relying on medical cannabis to alleviate chronic pain, PTSD, epilepsy, or other debilitating conditions, the unjust compromise between their health and constitutional rights is an issue that demands immediate attention.

Medical marijuana will become legal in Kentucky next year, but some provisions in place as part of the commonwealth's upcoming program could make it difficult for cardholders to use it.

Under Kentucky's new law, consuming the plant in its natural form through smoking and growing it at home could result in legal consequences or a loss of license if registered users try to light up instead of other means of using it, like vaping.

In a historic decision, Kentucky voters in 106 different jurisdictions across the state overwhelmingly approved ballot measures to allow cannabis businesses to operate locally. This sweeping approval is not just a win for the cannabis industry—it represents a major step forward for economic opportunity, public health, and justice in Kentucky.

The state employed the Kentucky Lottery to randomly select the license winners, aiming for fairness in the process. Among the winners, two cultivators from Northern Kentucky were chosen, one located in Bracken County and the other in Grant County.

The roll out of medical marijuana is in full swing in the Commonwealth, with cultivators and processors being picked lottery-style to get licenses Oct. 28.

Though as of yet, no date has been set on when the lottery will be for dispensary licenses.

While for many businesses, you can buy the storefront and hit the ground running, Kentucky NORML Executive Director Matthew Bratcher said it’s a different story when it comes to dispensaries.

When Kentucky’s medical marijuana program officially starts in January, there’ll be some communities where those businesses will be off limits. “A lot of these jurisdictions are giving their people the option to make that choice for themselves,” Kentucky NORML executive director Matthew Bratcher told FOX 56.

The Kentucky Office of Medical Cannabis is providing a webinar series on how physicians licensed through the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure (KBML) and practicing in the Commonwealth can become authorized and register to provide qualified patients with written certifications for medical cannabis.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a serious mental health condition that affects many military veterans who have experienced combat, traumatic events, or high-stress situations during their service. Veterans often struggle with symptoms like flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance, depression, and anxiety long after leaving the battlefield. While traditional treatments such as therapy and pharmaceuticals can help some veterans, many are turning to cannabis, particularly tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), for relief when other options fail.

A recent editorial by Chip Hutcheson in Kentucky Today, on behalf of Gene Cole and the Kentucky Ethics League, urges Kentucky communities to vote to block access to medical cannabis at the local level on November 5.