First Kentucky Medical Cannabis Dispensary Approved to Open This Fall

Kentucky’s first medical cannabis dispensary, The Post Dispensary in Beaver Dam, has received state approval and is on track to open this fall, marking a key milestone in rolling out the state’s medical marijuana program. Kentucky officials have approved the commonwealth’s first medical cannabis dispensary for operations, the Louisville Courier-Journalreports.

Gov. Andy Beshear (D) announced the approval of The Post Dispensary in a social media post on Thursday, “Great news, Kentucky — today, we approved the state’s first medical cannabis dispensary for operations in Beaver Dam.”

“This is another step forward as we work to ensure Kentuckians with serious medical conditions have access to the medicine they need and deserve.” — Beshear, in a statement

The governor said the shop is expected to open its doors this fall — however, the exact date it will open remains undetermined, the report said.

Kentucky approved its medical cannabis law in 2023, and the medical cannabis legalization policy formally took effect on January 1 of this year. Officials awarded the program licenses via lottery in 2024; the lottery-based licensing process has prompted lawsuits by rejected applicants, however, and even an investigation by the Kentucky state Auditor Allison Ball.

More than 16,000 patients have been certified to use medical cannabis, and more than 11,500 patients have been issued their medical cannabis IDs, the Lexington Herald-Reporter reports. Qualifying conditions for the program include cancer, PTSD, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, and others.