Medical marijuana was legalized in Kentucky in 2023, but the state’s Medical Cannabis Program will not launch until 2025. However, licensed medical practitioners must assess qualifying patients and determine their eligibility for medical cannabis treatment when the program kicks off.
Yes. Per Senate Bill 47, qualifying cannabis patients will require written certifications from approved medical practitioners to access medical marijuana treatments when the state’s Medical Cannabis Program launches in 2025. Per Section 10(7)(a) of SB 47, qualifying patients who are minors must provide documentation of diagnosis of qualifying medical conditions in addition to certifications issued by Kentucky MMJ doctors.
In Kentucky, medical marijuana can be recommended by registered physicians and advanced practice registered nurses per SB 47, licensed by their respective state licensing boards. They must also have bona fide patient-doctor relationships with the patients they recommend for medical marijuana treatment.
Kentucky does not have a list of approved medical marijuana doctors, as the state’s Medical Cannabis Program has yet to kick off.
Patients with qualifying medical conditions in Kentucky who require medical cannabis treatment can discuss it with their primary physicians when the state’s Medical Cannabis Program officially launches. If their primary physicians are not qualified to recommend medical cannabis, they will refer them (patients) to approved Kentucky medical marijuana doctors.
Yes, appointments with Kentucky medical marijuana doctors in Kentucky can happen via telehealth when the state launches its Medical Cannabis Program. However, initial meetings, assessments, and certification of qualifying patients for medical marijuana treatment must be in person. This also helps to establish bona fide practitioner-patient relationships. Telemedicine appointments are primarily meant for follow-up doctor visits and certifications during medical marijuana card renewals. Generally, telehealth allows patients with serious medical conditions to meet their physicians at their convenience from wherever they are.
The daily limit of medical marijuana for cannabis patients in Kentucky will be determined by their medical cannabis practitioners under guidelines issued by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Typically, registered medical marijuana patients and caregivers will be allowed to have a maximum of a 10-day supply on their persons and a 30-day supply at their residences