Dispensaries on Track for Final Approval
Kentucky accelerates its medical cannabis rollout this month as the first of the state’s 48 licnesed dispensaries prepare for opening to patients. MedicateKY confirmed that the Bluegrass state has approved its first medical cannabis dispensary: The Post in Beaver Dam, Ohio County. The dispensary is ready to begin sales once lab-tested cannabis products arrive from licensed cultivators. Other state dispensaries we’ve been in contact with, including Speakeasy in Lexington and Bluegrass CannaCare in Florence, are awaiting state approval any day.
The 48 dispensary licenses were issued across 11 regions of the state as part of a lottery held last year. Most licensees have secured a physical location, with 46 of the 48 having found permanent sites as of October 2025. You can find an official directory of these licensed locations on the Kentucky Medical Cannabis Program website once they are open for business.
Patient Registrations
As of late October 2025, more than 15,000 Kentuckians have been approved for medical cannabis cards. Providers are certifying patients daily, and the state issues the medical cards as soon as it processes applications. The Cabinet for Health and Family Services acknowledges receipt of your application within 15 days of submission. Then, they will review the application and notify you within 30 days of receiving it if it’s been accepted or denied. If approved, the Cabinet will issue a digital medical card that you can print out. If your application is denied, you have an opportunity to appeal the decision.
Kentucky medical cannabis registry identification cards expire one year after the date of issuance, unless a medical practitioner specifies an earlier expiration date. To maintain access to medical cannabis, you must go through a renewal process, which includes obtaining an updated certification from an authorized medical practitioner and submitting a renewal application and fee to the state.
To get a medical card, a citizen must:
- Be a Kentucky resident
- Not have been convicted of a disqualifying felony offense in last 5 years
- Have a qualifying medical condition
- Be at least 18 years old or a minor with legal guardian consent
Qualifying Conditions and the Certification Process
Kentucky recognizes six qualifying conditions for medical cannabis:
• Cancer
• Chronic, severe, or debilitating pain
• Epilepsy or intractable seizure disorders
• Multiple sclerosis, muscle spasms, or spasticity
• Chronic nausea or cyclical vomiting syndrome resistant to treatment
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Patients must visit an authorized practitioner in person, obtain a written certification, and apply through the Kentucky Patient and Caregiver Registry Portal.
How Much Cannabis Can Kentuckians Purchase?
Patients can have a 30-day supply of medical cannabis with them as long as it is contained in an unopened package and they are taking it home directly from the dispensary. Their possession limit, or what they can carry on their person, is limited to a 10-day supply. The 30-day supply limit is about four ounces, or 112 grams, of flower or 3,900 milligrams of a THC-infused products like edibles, tinctures, or oils. The 10-day supply limit is 37.5 grams of flower or 1,300 milligrams of THC-infused products like edibles, tinctures, or oils.
Where can Kentuckians Obtain their Medical Cannabis Now?
Before the full rollout, Governor Beshear issued an executive order letting Kentucky cannabis patients possess products purchased legally in another state, provided they keep proof of purchase and their medical certification. This temporary measure offered early access while the program ramped up.
Complications may arise, however. Ohio lawmakers are considering legislation that would prohibit Ohio patients from buying cannabis out of state. Even now, federal law makes transporting cannabis across state lines illegal. Patients in both states should stay informed as these rules continue to evolve.
Kentucky state officials say more approvals are on track soon: licenses for all four types of cannabis businesses (cultivation, processing, testing, retail) are expected to be issued imminently.
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