Kentucky Medical Marijuana Card

Is Medical Marijuana Legal In Kentucky?

Yes, medical marijuana became legal in Kentucky when Governor Beshear signed SB 47 into law on March 31, 2023. However, SB 47 will not take effect until January 2025, and by then, the Commonwealth's Medical Cannabis Program will be established. The state governor had previously issued an executive order in November 2020 permitting residents with at least one of 21 medical conditions to access medical cannabis. Such persons must obtain written certifications from licensed physicians and can buy cannabis in states where marijuana use and purchase is legal. The executive order will be in force until the Kentucky Medical Cannabis Program launches and starts accepting applications for medical marijuana cards.

How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Kentucky in 2024

Qualifying Conditions for Medical Card in Kentucky

As stipulated in SB 47, individuals with the following medical conditions qualify for medical marijuana in Kentucky in 2024:

• Severe, chronic, debilitating, or intractable pain
• Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Multiple sclerosis, spasticity, or muscle spasms
• Epilepsy or any other form of intractable disorder
• Cancer of any type
• Cyclical vomiting or chronic nausea that fails to respond to other conventional medical treatments

SB 47 allows the expansion of these qualifying conditions if approved by the Kentucky Center for Cannabis Research.

Can I Apply For A Medical Marijuana Card In Kentucky Online?

The Kentucky Medical Marijuana Program will not launch until 2025. By then, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services will determine if it will accept applications for medical marijuana cards online and make the information available.

How Do I Register With The Kentucky Medical Cannabis Program?

The Cabinet for Health and Family Services will launch the Kentucky Medical Cannabis Program by 2025 and roll out steps to register and participate. However, SB 47 specifically requires obtaining a licensed physician's written certification for medical cannabis as the first step in the registration process.

Do I Need To Be A Kentucky Resident To Get A Medical Marijuana Card?

Residents and non-residents will be able to apply for Kentucky medical marijuana cards come 2025, per SB 47. Qualifying patients who are not Kentucky residents must satisfy certain requirements to apply for medical marijuana registry identification cards as visiting patients. However, getting a Kentucky-issued medical marijuana card is not mandatory for visiting patients since they can use their valid out-of-state medical cannabis cards for all purposes established in Sections 1 to 30 of SB 47.

What Is The Cost Of A Kentucky Medical Marijuana Card?

The Cabinet for Health and Family Services will set the cost of obtaining a Kentucky medical marijuana registry identification card once it launches the Commonwealth's Medical Cannabis Program by 2025.

What Do You Need When Visiting A Medical Marijuana Dispensary In Kentucky?

Qualifying medical marijuana patients and designated caregivers should expect to go to licensed dispensaries with their medical marijuana cards once the legal sale of medical cannabis starts in Kentucky.

Who Can Prescribe Medical Marijuana In Kentucky?

The following healthcare practitioners who are licensed to prescribe controlled substances will be able to recommend medical cannabis in Kentucky once the medical marijuana program is established:

• Doctors of osteopathy or medicine
• Advanced practice registered nurses

Can A Minor Get A Medical Marijuana Card In Kentucky?

Qualifying medical marijuana patients who are minors (under 18 years) will be able to get Kentucky medical cannabis registry identification cards once the Commonwealth's Medical Cannabis Program is established. However, their parents or legal guardians must also register with the program and consent to their ward's medical cannabis treatment. During the medical examination of minors by licensed physicians for cannabis certifications, practitioners will inform the parents or legal guardians of the possible side effects and risks associated with medical marijuana. Once the parents or legal guardians consent, the practitioners will issue such patients written certifications for medical marijuana use.

Can You Get A Medical Marijuana Card At 18 In Kentucky?

Yes, but only when the Commonwealth launches its medical marijuana program in 2025. Individuals who are 18 years old, living with qualifying medical marijuana conditions, and are permanent residents of Kentucky will be able to apply for medical marijuana cards independently.

How To Renew Your Kentucky Medical Marijuana Card

Medical marijuana cards are not being issued in Kentucky as of 2023. The Cabinet for Health and Family Services will roll out the steps needed to renew the medical marijuana cards issued under the Commonwealth's medical marijuana program once it kicks off.

Can You Grow Medical Marijuana In Kentucky?

No, Kentucky prohibits qualifying medical cannabis patients from cultivating medical marijuana at home for personal use. The executive order signed by the state governor in 2022 makes no provisions for the home-growing of cannabis for marijuana patients.

Does Kentucky Allow Medical Marijuana Patients To Designate Caregivers?

Senate Bill 47 makes provisions for caregivers for patients younger than 18 years or qualifying cannabis patients with disabilities. A caregiver can pick up medical marijuana products at licensed dispensaries on behalf of registered patients and administer their medications to them. Under the proposed Kentucky Medical Cannabis Program, caregivers must apply for registry identification cards as designated caregivers. To become a caregiver in the Commonwealth, a person must be at least 21 years old and a resident of Kentucky who has not been convicted of a disqualifying felony offense. A designated caregiver may only assist up to three registered qualifying marijuana patients in Kentucky.

Kentucky Medical Marijuana Reciprocity

The Kentucky Medical Cannabis Program has not been established. However, per Section 10(5) of SB 47, qualifying patients with out-of-state medical marijuana cards or documentation stating their diagnosed conditions will be able to purchase medical cannabis in Kentucky once the legal sale begins.

Are My Medical Marijuana Records Private?

While the Kentucky Medical Marijuana Program has yet to begin, medical marijuana records are expected to be private in line with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Nonetheless, law enforcement agencies and sometimes employers may request access to certain information in patients' medical marijuana records.

Does Insurance Cover Medical Marijuana In Kentucky?

No, health insurance does not cover medical marijuana cost in Kentucky.

What Is The Medical Card Limit In Kentucky?

The Kentucky medical cannabis registry card will allow a cardholder to have up to a 30-day supply of medical cannabis in their home and no more than a 10-day supply on their person.

Can You Go To A Dispensary Without A Medical Card In Kentucky?

Once the legal sale of marijuana begins in Kentucky, registered medical cannabis patients and caregivers will need valid medical cannabis registry identification cards to visit licensed dispensaries.