Update: Governor Beshear Signs Bill Expediting Marijuana Business Licensing

The Kentucky Senate passed House Bill 829 with a vote of 26-12, which will allow for marijuana businesses to begin cultivation and manufacturing as early as this fall. The bill was passed on to Governor Beshear and signed into law on April 17, 2024.

Under the initial medical marijuana bill that was signed by the governor last year, no cannabis licenses could be applied for or issued to patients, physicians, caregivers, manufacturers, or dispensaries until January 1, 2025 and cannabis business applications could take as long as 45 days to be processed and approved by the state.

HB 829 allows for cannabis manufacturers and dispensaries to apply for their business licenses as soon as August 1, 2024, authorizing manufacturers to begin production and cultivation several months before medical marijuana sales are available on January 1, 2025.

Cannabis Cultivation Cycle

Marijuana is a flowering herb that starts from a seed which grows into a flowering plant. Once the plant has matured, the buds are harvested and processed. The entire cultivation process can take about 10-32 weeks from seed to harvest. House Bill 829 grants manufacturers about 20 weeks to cultivate before dispensaries are set to open.

What does this mean for Kentucky medical marijuana patients?

Medical marijuana sold in Kentucky dispensaries must be grown in Kentucky, so dispensary sales will not be able to commence until there is medical marijuana to be sold. Allowing cannabis manufacturers to be licensed in August would allow for dispensaries to be stocked and ready to sell to licensed medical marijuana patients sooner than originally anticipated.

Get approved now for medical marijuana use

Although Kentucky dispensaries will not open until 2025, patients with a qualifying medical condition can get approved by a doctor to use and possess legally purchased marijuana now. Find out more about the program here.