Medical Marijuana in Kentucky
Are you looking to get your medical marijuana in Kentucky? The talented team of doctors here at CalmEffect is here to help guide you through every single step of the process.
Keep reading to learn the calm effect and how to get your card for Medical Marijuana in Kentucky.
Medical Marijuana is Not Yet Legal in Kentucky
New Governor Supports Medical Cannabis; Legislature Convenes for 2020 Session
2019 was another frustrating year for patients and advocates in Kentucky, but the medical cannabis issue continues to gain momentum, and the election of new Governor Andy Beshear in November may have provided the catalyst needed to advance the issue in 2020.
Rep. Jason Nemes (R-Louisville) has already pre-filed a medical cannabis bill for 2020 and predicted that it will pass the House by a strong margin. The legislature convened for its 2020 session on January 7.
If you live in Kentucky, please write your lawmakers and urge them to support the medical cannabis bill.
On March 6, 2019, after several weeks of delays, the Kentucky House Judiciary Committee finally held a vote on Rep. Nemes’ medical cannabis bill with less than a week remaining in the legislative session. The result was overwhelming – a 16-1 vote in favor of HB 136 – but the House adjourned the following week without taking action on the bill.
Support for medical cannabis has been growing for several years. Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes got involved with the medical cannabis effort in late 2017, when she joined a working group with legislators and advocates to help advance the issue, and U.S. Senator Rand Paul added his support for the effort in March 2018.
Senators advocate for a bill to end marijuana prohibition in Kentucky
In December 2019, Sen. Cluster Howard announced that he would sponsor a bill in 2020 to legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana.
The legislature has declined to consider previous bills on this subject. Similar bills were sponsored in 2018 and 2019 by Sen. Dan Seum, who retired in late 2019 and by Sen. Perry Clark in 2017. In September 2018, Gov. Matt Bevin said marijuana legalization and regulation “is not going to happen while I’m governor.” Although it may take some time for an adult-use legalization bill to pass in Kentucky, these senators and others have started a conversation that will eventually lead to the end of cannabis prohibition.Lawmakers pass, governor signs limited CBD billÂ
On Thursday, April 10, 2014, Kentucky then-Gov. Steve Beshear signed into law a proposal that was intended to allow patients to use cannabidiol (“CBD,” a non-psychoactive component of marijuana) if directed by a physician. The law went into effect immediately with his signature, but it is extremely unlikely it will actually result in patients being able to access CBD unless it is revised by the legislature. Unfortunately, the legislation excludes the vast majority of patients who could benefit from medical marijuana.
For more information on this law, please see a summary of SB 124.
Stay Updated with CalmEffect, Kentucky!
1/11/21 – Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) called for the legalization of medical marijuana in his State of the Commonwealth speech just as lawmakers filed a new bill to enact the policy change in 2021. Last year, medical cannabis passed the House but died in the Senate.
1/8/21 – Kentucky representatives filed a medical cannabis bill and a resolution calling for expedited marijuana research.
1/7/21 – In a new joint interview, top Kentucky House and Senate lawmakers expressed openness to legalizing medical marijuana this year but said they oppose the Gov. Andy Beshear’s (D) plan to tax it to raise revenue.  “If you’re taking that approach, that it’s a money generator, then you’re not thinking about the medicinal or therapeutic value.”
12/21/20 – Kentucky’s Senate president said he has concerns about legalizing medical cannabis.
12/18/20 – Kentucky’s Senate president spoke about the negative effects of marijuana in the context of potential medical cannabis legalization in 2021.
12/17/20 –Â Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) filed a new bill to triple the concentration of THC that can be in legal hemp crops and to make other changes to federal rules to address the industry’s concerns.
Also, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) called on lawmakers to legalize medical cannabis in 2021.
12/14/20 – A Kentucky representative said he will file a medical cannabis bill on the first day of the new session.
11/27/20 – Kentucky’s House speaker said it’s not clear where newly elected members stand on medical cannabis.
11/9/20 – A Kentucky representative said he thinks the state’s voters would approve marijuana legalization if it could be placed on the ballot but is skeptical it can pass the legislature any time soon.
10/13/20 – Kentucky Democratic congressional candidate Matthew Ryan Best tweeted, “Many states are looking to recession proof sources of revenue like booze and pot. Kentucky growers want to grow marijuana. Kentuckians want to enjoy the medical and recreational benefits cannabis provides. Let’s make it happen #KY5. Vote for federal legalization. Vote #Best4KY”
9/15/20 – The office of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) sent a press release highlighting some apparent Democratic discontent with plans to hold a House vote on marijuana legalization next week.
9/14/20 – Harrison County, Kentucky’s judge-executive authored an op-ed calling out the Food and Drug Administration for hurting the hemp industry by slow-walking CBD regulations.
9/2/20 –Â Kentucky Democratic Senate candidate Amy McGrath released an attack ad claiming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) only “pretends” to support hemp and is ignorant about policies impacting farmers who grow it.
8/25/20 –  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said Americans should wear masks made out of hemp to prevent the spread of coronavirus.  “We’re gonna need a massive number of doses [of a vaccine for COVID-19]-not just for our country but for the entire world. The coronavirus is not gone. And in the meantime, I recommend a hemp mask as one of the best.”
8/13/20 – Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) tweeted that he’s “proud to support bipartisan legislation like the SAFE Banking Act to provide access to banking services for legal cannabis businesses.”
7/22/20 – Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said the legal hemp industry is off to a “rocky start” and reiterated in separate remarks that his chamber’s next coronavirus relief bill won’t “send diversity detectives into the cannabis industry” like the House version proposed, referring to certain provisions of marijuana banking language that were included. The majority leader later told Marijuana Moment through a spokesperson that hemp “remains a top priority of mine.”Â
6/29/20 – Kentucky Rep. Charles Booker (D), currently in the lead to face Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in November as Democratic primary votes are counted, has sponsored marijuana legalization legislation and supports decriminalizing all drugs.  “We deserve a commonwealth where we don’t criminalize a plant,” he said in his election night speech.
6/18/20 – A Frankfort, Kentucky City Commission candidate smoked marijuana in the middle of a debate.
6/1/20 – Kentucky regulators announced they have licensed 960 hemp growers to grow up to 32,000 acres and 150 hemp processors and handlers for 2020.
5/29/20 – The chairman of the Kentucky Senate Judiciary Committee said a new draft of medical cannabis legislation will be prepared before the new session begins in January.
5/19/20 – Kentucky Democratic Senate candidate Mike Broihier tweeted, “Not only do we need to #legalize marijuana, but we should de-schedule it. I’d rather see my fellow Kentuckians smoking a joint than injecting needles.”Â
5/14/20 – Kentucky’s agriculture commissioner tweeted, “Enjoying my hemp-derived face mask produced by @ecofibre using @hempblackusa carbon. We believe hemp has tremendous medical and health potential with antibacterial properties.”
4/9/20 – The sponsor of Kentucky’s House-passed medical cannabis bill blamed the coronavirus outbreak on its failure to get a hearing in the Senate, saying it is “something we’re going to have to come back to next year.”
3/18/20 – Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) discussed his support for medical cannabis.
2/27/20 – The Kentucky Senate Committee On Health And Welfare approved a House-passed resolution calling on the federal government to expedite medical cannabis research.
2/24/20 – Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) said he will “certainly do what I can” to help build Senate support for a House-passed medical cannabis bill.
2/17/20 – Kentucky’s House speaker said a floor vote on medical cannabis legalization could happen as soon as this week.
2/12/20 – The Kentucky House of Representatives passed a resolution calling on Congress to raise the THC threshold for hemp.
2/7/20 – A poll found that 59% of Kentucky residents back legalizing marijuana “under any circumstances,” while medical cannabis gets 90% support as a House hearing on that topic approaches next week.Â
1/31/20 – Kentucky’s agriculture commissioner called on the state’s congressional delegation to help pressure the Food and Drug Administration to issue CBD regulations. Separately, the Senate passed a hemp regulation bill. And the House adopted a resolution calling on federal agencies to accelerate marijuana research.
1/28/20 –Â Kentucky’s Senate president said there is a “narrow path” to pass medical cannabis legislation.
1/16/20 – Kentucky’s House speaker said that if medical cannabis is legalized it won’t be taxed.
1/15/20 – Kentucky’s Senate president said he thinks “there’s a path forward on medicinal marijuana.”
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With a growing roster of Doctors who can prescribe cannabis all over the United States, Calm Effect is ready to help. Learn how you can get your medical card in Kentucky by filling out the form on this page.
Get InformationOur 3-Step Doctor Process Works
By following these steps, if your doctor recommends medical marijuana as a solution for your condition and unique symptoms, you’ll be eligible for a medical marijuana card with access to our growing roster of dispensaries across the entire state. Mail-order and walk ins are available.
If you are ready to start your journey with Medical Marijuana in Kentucky, we are here to help you.
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