Tag: Kentucky

Lawmakers in two of the 12 remaining states that have yet to legalize cannabis – Kentucky and Wisconsin – will have the option of approving limited reforms which could turn the tide, but both measures still have a long way to go before becoming law. In Kentucky, Democratic Rep. Nima Kulkarni put forth a measure that would legalize the possession and consumption of recreational cannabis – including allowing home cultivation – but wouldn’t authorize cultivation or sale by private businesses. In other… Read more.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is calling for additional qualifying health conditions for the state’s upcoming medical marijuana program, which would expand the total addressable market for MMJ businesses. The Democratic governor also announced new regulations for medical marijuana businesses and revealed that Kentucky has chosen cannabis software company Metrc to provide seed-to-sale tracking for the state’s MMJ businesses. The Democratic governor said Kentucky’s “medical cannabis program is on schedule” during a Thursday news conference. The medical cannabis law is set to take effect in 2025.… Read more.

A key legislative subcommittee in Kentucky approved an emergency rule designed to regulate intoxicating hemp-derived products differently than nonintoxicating products. It’s the third time the regulations have been amended, according to news website Kentucky Today, and the emergency rule will remain in effect until April 27, 2024. The most recent amendments added were: Requirements for processing and manufacturing. Implementing U.S. Food and Drug Administration standards to product testing requirements. A registry for retailers. Katelyn Wiard of the U.S. Hemp Roundtable said during… Read more.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear spoke at a news conference on Oct. 7 and provided an update on the ongoing progress of the state’s medical cannabis program. “We have established the Medical Cannabis Program, which is the office that is going to do this work, as part of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services,” said Beshear. “The office is preparing to communicate the implementation of this law with a new website that went live today. So, moving forward, you can get updates… Read more.

Despite the dramatic shift in opinion about cannabis in America, Kentucky law enforcement agents continued to charge people with cannabis-related charges at a steady rate, in tandem with offenses across the board. According to analysis of the Kentucky Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) data, more than 300,000 people in Kentucky have been charged with a cannabis-related crime over the past two decades. That’s nearly two people every hour, every day between June 2002 and July 2022, the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy wrote.… Read more.

n the act of legislative progress, the Kentucky House of Representatives has given the green light to a medical marijuana legalization bill previously passed by the Senate. The bill, proposed by Senator Stephen West (R), passed through the House Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations Committee before receiving a vibrant 66-33 vote in favor of its passing. The governor's signature is the final step in its journey to becoming law. The unwavering support of Governor Andy Beshear (D) has been instrumental… Read more.

Last Friday, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear signed Senate Bill 47 into law, which legalizes medical cannabis in the commonwealth. But there will be a wait until the state’s program kicks in. Governor Beshear had again urged lawmakers to legalize medical cannabis “this session” after SB47 cleared the Senate last month. The legislation then went on to clear the House on March 30 and the governor wasted no time; giving it his formal blessing the following day. While some legal protection for medical… Read more.

Kentucky’s governor signed a bill into law that establishes a framework to test, label and regulate delta-8 and outlaws sales to those younger than under 21. The bill, which was approved by the state’s Republican-led House and Senate, also bans possession for those younger than 21 and requires retailers to keep those products behind a counter, according to the Louisville Courier Journal. Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear’s signing comes after his executive order last year that regulated packaging and labeling of delta-8 products. “We did… Read more.

The Kentucky Senate on Thursday passed a medical cannabis bill on a 26-11 vote, WYMT reports. The legislation moves next to the House, which has passed medical cannabis reforms in previous sessions but they ultimately died in the Senate.   The measure would not allow patients to access smokable products but permits edibles and concentrates. If approved by the Senate and signed into law by Gov. Andy Beshear (D), the bill would take effect on January 1.   Beshear, who made medical cannabis legalization a legislative priority, is expected to sign… Read more.

Oklahoma voters rejected a ballot initiative to legalize cannabis for adult use during a special election this month by a margin of 62 percent, surprising many advocates who saw the popularity of the state’s medical market as a promising sign for adult-use expansion. Ultimately, the state’s medical program proved to be good enough for a majority of voters outside Oklahoma City and Tulsa. But the push to expand domestic cannabis legalization in 2023 is far from over. “For 2024, we’ve calculated Virginia,… Read more.

A Kentucky Senate committee on Tuesday approved a bill to legalize medical marijuana in the state. The Senate Licensing & Occupations Committee passed the legislation from Sen. Stephen West (R) and 12 other senators in a 8-3 vote. It now heads to the Senate floor with just days left in the session. “I didn’t intend to ever get into medical marijuana and take a look at the issue,” West told the panel ahead of the vote, adding that he was… Read more.