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.

As a military veteran, you’ve faced unique challenges—whether it’s managing chronic pain, PTSD, anxiety, or sleep disorders. Traditional treatments aren’t always effective for everyone, and many veterans are turning to cannabis for relief. With so many different cannabinoids, types of THC, and countless blends and combinations available, figuring out which product is right for you can be confusing.

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.

According to Governor Andy Beshear, the Kentucky Office of Medical Cannabis received nearly 5,000 applications for the state's medical marijuana dispensary lottery before the portal closed. This marks a significant milestone for the commonwealth’s medical cannabis program, which is gearing up for its official launch in January 2025.

Kentucky’s medical cannabis program has been a hot topic, especially as it moves closer to being implemented. There have been concerns and criticisms about the lottery process used to allocate licenses.