Kentucky announces first medical marijuana license holders
Updated: September 26, 2024 3:09 PM EDT
Next up is the latest information on the medical marijuana program. Since taking office, my administration has been committed to providing access to health care for all Kentuckians and building safe communities. *** More than a year ago, I signed Senate Bill 47, which will federally legalize medical marijuana beginning in January 2025. We recognize that patients need access to life-changing medicines sooner rather than later, and the bill is on the horizon. Um, our administration, um, wanted to see if we could issue licenses this year. So we worked primarily with the General Assembly, and Sen. West worked very hard on this issue and did a really good job. Uh With us wasn't able to join us today, but we were certainly invited, and we signed House Bill 829 in April. They didn't solve every issue, but Sen. West solved as many as he could and was able to get it through the General Assembly. This bill takes a significant step forward by bringing forward the timeline for cannabis business licenses by a full six months. *** As a result, the program could begin issuing business licenses in 2024 instead of 2025. And following incredible interest from the business community. That's exactly what we're doing today. After receiving approximately 5,000 applications, we are proud to announce that today, Kentucky will issue its first medical marijuana business license. This license will be sent to the *** lab. Well, this is an *** open-ended *** category, so there is no *** drawing. The first license for this program will go to KC *** labs, a *** hemp testing lab currently operating in Nicholasville. This is the Commonwealth's first medical cannabis business licensee, KC *** Labs is a *** safety compliance facility. These facilities are responsible for testing all medical cannabis products before they reach Kentucky cardholders. As the first federally licensed medical cannabis business and laboratory, our mission is to ensure Kentuckians with serious medical conditions have access to safe, high-quality, tested medical cannabis products. That's exactly what KC *** helps us do. I love that first licenses go to organizations that can help do this safely. Our medical cannabis office has strict regulations and safety compliance facilities like KC*** ensure all Kentucky cannabis is held to the highest medical standards. We would therefore like to invite Sam Flynn, Executive Director of the Medical Cannabis Secretariat, and Jonathan Thompson, CEO of KC*** Institute, to our first medical cannabis license presentation. Congratulations everyone on achieving this milestone. *** Would you like to say a few words? Yes, sir. thank you. Thank you, Governor. We are very excited about the opportunity to participate in Kentucky's medical cannabis program. And we are excited to accept our first license. I especially want to thank you and the Office of Medical Cannabis for your hard work and leadership on this program. Thank you for making this licensing process so smooth. I would also like to thank the Office of Medical Cannabis for working with companies like us on a step-by-step basis as we move through this process. The Kentucky-owned KC*** Laboratory has been conducting regulatory and safety testing in the hemp industry since 2019. As of September 2024, KC*** has over 2,000 customers and clients in nearly every state, including 30 other countries, and over 100 years of combined experience in analytical testing in USDA FDA and DEA regulated industries. I have experience. KC,A's vast knowledge and experience in testing hemp products will carry over neatly into Kentucky's new medical cannabis program, which includes many of the same testable substances. KC*** offers industry-wide reputation, expertise, quality, and impartiality to provide program licensing, reliable UM compliance data, and help companies meet important state safety requirements for medical cannabis products. Ready to make sure you meet. Again, we are excited to be a part of this program and look forward to working with the Governor and the Office of Medical Cannabis to ensure this program provides the highest quality products to Kentucky cardholders. I'm looking forward to it. Thank you, Governor. Congratulations. thank you. Congratulations. thank you. Well, thank you to everyone at the KC *** laboratory. We are very excited to see how you will play an important role in this program. And I wish you success in your next move forward. We are excited to share news about the Medical Cannabis Lottery for Kentucky growers and processors. We have set the grower and processor license lottery date for Monday, October 28, 2024. Therefore, cultivator tier 12 and 3 applicants and processor applicants will be notified one week in advance whether they will be approved to participate in the license lottery. If approved, these applications will be included in the Proper License Lottery to be held by the Kentucky Lottery Corporation in Louisville on October 28th. There will be a live stream for Kentuckians to tune in and watch, but there will be no ping pong balls. I would like everyone to know this in advance. When we launched our program, our mission was to ensure that veterans suffering from cancer, multiple sclerosis, PTSD, and many other Kentuckians have access to safe, affordable medical cannabis. It was to be. Today we are taking another big step towards that. The last group, pharmacies, will announce the date of their lottery, er, at a later date***, probably in November. Well, the reason we're holding off on naming a date for *** is, can we beat, can we win, what are the expected dates that we're considering? Or because I hope Sam Flynn can win. they are making great progress. And I, like I said earlier, we had so many applications for the dispensary that we hired a new person to process them, and we had to do it right. And you have to do it well, and you only get to do something for the first time once. So that we have promised Kentuckians ***, *** safe, *** safe medical cannabis surgery and *** a fair process for who will be included in its launch. It's an effort to ensure that we know and have the full confidence of Kentuckians. Well, we're going to wait for that date to be announced, but again, it's probably going to be in November, but we're hoping it's earlier than the scheduled date, sometime in November. But Sam is working really hard.
Kentucky announces first medical marijuana license holders
Updated: September 26, 2024 3:09 PM EDT
Kentucky has issued its first-ever medical marijuana permit. Andy Beshear announced Thursday that the first licenses will go to KCA Laboratories in Nicholasville. The lab is already a safety-compliant facility that tests cannabis and other natural products. Beshear said all cannabis products will be tested before being delivered to patients. “We love our first license.” Our Office of Medical Cannabis has established strict regulations, and safety compliance facilities like KCA ensure that all Kentucky cannabis is held to the highest medical standards. I guarantee you,” Beshear said. The laboratory department has no license restrictions, so it is not a lottery system like other departments. Grower and processor licenses are issued through a lottery. Beshear said the selection will take place on Monday, Oct. 28, during a livestream event hosted by the Kentucky Lottery in Louisville. The date for the pharmacy lottery will be announced at a later date, but Beshear said it will likely take place in November. Marijuana will officially be legalized in Kentucky on January 1, 2025, and patients will be able to apply for a card. The fee is $25, and the state will provide the card in digital format.
FRANKFORT, KY —
Kentucky has issued its first-ever medical marijuana license.
Gov. Andy Beshear announced Thursday that the first license will be awarded to KCA Labs in Nicholasville. The lab is already a safety compliance facility that tests hemp and other natural products.
Beshear said all cannabis products will be tested before being delivered to patients.
“I love that the first licenses go to organizations that can help us do this safely. Our Office of Medical Cannabis has strict regulations, and safety compliance facilities like KCA “We ensure that all Kentucky cannabis is held to the highest medical standards,” Beshear said.
Listen to KCA Labs' story in the player above.
The laboratory division has no license restrictions, so there is no lottery like in other divisions.
Grower and processor licenses are issued through a lottery. It will be won on Monday, Oct. 28, during a livestream event hosted by the Kentucky Lottery in Louisville, Beshear said.
The pharmacy drawing date will be announced at a later date, but Beshear said it will likely take place in November.
Medical marijuana will be officially legalized in Kentucky on January 1, 2025. Patients will be able to apply for the card on the same day.
The fee is $25, and the state will provide the card in digital format.
