By Sarah Ladd

Kentucky Lantern

 

LOUISVILLE —Kentucky awarded its first 36 medical cannabis dispensary licenses through a lottery held Monday at the Kentucky Lottery Corporation in Louisville.

These winners, from specific regions, are out of 4,075 who applied for dispensary licenses, according to Sam Flynn, executive director of the Kentucky Office of Medical Cannabis.

“This is another major step for ensuring Kentuckians suffering from cancer, PTSD and other serious conditions, have access to safe, affordable medical cannabis,” Gov. Andy Beshear said.

Dispensary winners

The Monday winners and their regions are:

1. RTZ 20 LLC – Ashland, Boyd County
2. Boarder Construction LLC – Ashland, Boyd County
3. Southern Green Wellness LLC – Mt. Sterling, Montgomery County
4. Bluegrass Blooms LLC – Ashland, Boyd County
5. Zeus Agoraios LLC – Franklin, Simpson County
6. AR-MO-KY-MS Cannabis Ventures LLC – Bowling Green, Warren County
7. PROMO PULSE LLC – Bowling Green, Warren County
8. FLOWER RADAR LLC – Bowling Green, Warren County
9. REED KY DISPENSARY LLC – Somerset, Pulaski County
10. ERH KY LLC – Somerset, Pulaski County
11. JM Medicinals LLC – Russell Springs, Russell County
12. No 1 Boundary LLC – Corbin, Whitley County
13. BSRKYAPP LLC – Martin, Floyd County
14. HYE Property Management LLC – Stanton, Powell County
15. Kentuckyzen LLC – Pikeville, Pike County
16. REED KY DISPENSARY LLC – Pikeville, Pike County
17. Mallard Club LLC – Oak Grove, Christian County
18. ARKY Capital Investments LLC – Eddyville, Lyon County
19. River City Relief House LLC – Eddyville, Lyon County
20. DPDMJF Cannabis Holding Company LLC – Eddyville, Lyon County
21. OM MED LLC – Paducah, McCracken County
22. KY-CannCo LLC – Paducah, McCracken County
23. Green4U LLC – Mayfield, Graves County
24. Leiber Canna II LLC – Paducah, McCracken County
25. Barrio Capital Partners LLC – Elizabethtown, Hardin County
26. Thoroughtrek LLC – Radcliff, Hardin County
27. NGHKC – Eastview, Hardin County
28. Wynn Win LLC – Elizabethtown, Hardin County
29. YELLOW FLOWERS LLC – Erlanger, Kenton County
30. Nicole Tirella – Alexandria, Campbell County
31. Bluegrass Cannacare LLC – Florence, Boone County
32. GREEN GRASS CANNABIS LLC – Erlanger, Kenton County
33. OTC KY 3 LLC – Henderson, Henderson County
34. Bungalow House LLC – Owensboro, Daviess County
35. Tree Soft LLC – Henderson, Henderson County
36. CP INVESTMENT LLC – Owensboro, Daviess County

Winners will get an email in the next 24 hours saying they were picked in the lottery, Flynn said, and detailing the regional area they were approved for. To get their licenses, those winners will need to pay a licensing fee within 15 days. If they don’t, Flynn said, they forfeit the license.

Background and timeline of the program

In 2023, the legislature legalized medical marijuana for Kentuckians suffering from chronic illnesses.

Then, the bipartisan House Bill 829 that became law during this year’s legislative session moved up the medical cannabis licensing timeline from January 2025 to July 1, 2024.

During the application period, July 1–Aug. 31,  the state received 4,998 applications for medical cannabis business licenses, including 918 cultivator and processor applications.

Patients who qualify for medical cannabis — with a history of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), cancer or other approved medical conditions — will be able to start getting cards ready in December.

The state pulled its first 26 cultivators and processors lottery winners in October, all of whom have since been licensed, Beshear said.

Starting Dec. 1, the Office of Medical Cannabis will also have a directory so qualifying patients can search for a provider near them who can prescribe medical marijuana.

Another drawing will be held Dec. 16, where more dispensary license winners will be announced.