Kentucky Medical Marijuana Gummies Now Available as Beshear Pushes Eligibility Expansion

5 February 2026

Kentucky’s medical marijuana program is adding new product options, and state leaders are asking lawmakers to widen who can participate.

Gov. Andy Beshear announced at a Thursday briefing that medical marijuana gummies are now available for purchase in Kentucky, saying patients are starting to see more choices as the supply chain expands. Beshear also reported that the program has more than 510 registered practitioners and over 18,500 approved cardholders, with both numbers continuing to rise.

Alongside the product update, the governor is urging the legislature to expand the list of medical conditions that qualify for cannabis recommendations. His administration sent a letter to legislative leadership recommending the addition of:

• ALS,
• Parkinson’s disease,
• Crohn’s disease,
• Sickle cell anemia,
• Fibromyalgia,
• Glaucoma,
• Terminal illnesses, and other conditions that were not detailed publicly.

Beshear said the expansion could provide relief to roughly 430,000 Kentuckians who currently do not qualify but are dealing with serious health challenges. He described the recommendation as consistent with how other states run medical cannabis programs and said it reflects unanimous support from the Kentucky Board of Physicians and Advisors.

Right now, Kentucky’s program lists six qualifying conditions:

• Cancer,
• post-traumatic stress disorder,
• multiple sclerosis,
• epilepsy,
• chronic pain,
• severe nausea.

For patients whose conditions are not included, eligibility expansion would be the most direct path to legal access through Kentucky’s system.

The program itself is still in the buildout phase. Kentucky legalized medical marijuana in 2023, and Beshear has acknowledged the market took longer than expected to become operational. The first medical cannabis dispensary opened in December, and more dispensaries have since launched, including one in Louisville that opened on Jan. 31. State officials have also cited operating cultivators, processors, and safety compliance facilities, with additional businesses scheduled for inspection in February.

For patients, the practical picture may come down to access and availability. More dispensaries and a growing product menu, including gummies, could make it easier to find a form of medical cannabis that fits their needs. At the same time, supply constraints can still shape what is actually on shelves, especially in an early market.

For cannabis businesses, the governor’s push to expand eligibility matters because it could increase the number of potential customers entering the system. If more conditions are added, dispensaries, cultivators, and processors may see higher demand, and that could influence what products they prioritize and how quickly the supply chain scales.

Kentucky’s medical marijuana program is already moving, but Beshear’s message suggests the next step may depend on whether lawmakers agree to broaden the rules on who qualifies.