Gov. Andy Beshear signs executive order to update medical cannabis program
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Tuesday afternoon, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear’s office held a press conference, adding 15 more qualified medical conditions to the medical cannabis program.
“It’s going to help people reclaim their lives through a safe, non- addictive treatment,” Beshear said in Tuesday’s press conference.
The program, which started in January of 2025, only listed six types of conditions that qualified patients to use cannabis for medical purposes, which are:
- Any type or form of cancer
- Chronic or severe pain
- Epilepsy or other intractable seizure disorders
- Multiple Sclerosis, muscle spasms or spasticity
- Chronic nausea or Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome
- PTSD
Beshear revealed as of May that the program has 23,723 patients with medical cannabis cards. He said while the state has seen all-time low numbers of opioid overdoses, the increase in cannabis cards is a positive impact on the health of Kentuckians.
“Another way we do this is by offering a safe alternative for pain relief for those suffering from serious medical conditions. That’s why my administration worked hard to bring medical cannabis to Kentucky,” he said.
While the state continues to effort lowering opioid overdoses, Beshear said implementing non addictive alternatives helps curve that rate. “Medical cannabis has been found to decrease dependency on dangerous opioids,” Beshear said.
The new conditions added to the programs list are:
- Terminal Illnesses,
- Parkinson’s Disease,
- HIV
- Glaucoma
- Sickle Cell Anemia
- ALS
- AIDS
- Huntington’s Disease
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Cachexia or Wasting Syndrome
- Chron’s Disease
- Ulcerative Colitis
- Neuropathies
- Severe Arthritis
- Fibromyalgia
Rebecca Seavers, president of the Sickle Cell Association of Kentuckiana, said now that sickle cell is a qualifying condition, not only does it give a medical representation of the disease, but it also provides relief to those living with pain from blocked blood streams.
“Around the country opioids are often prescribed to treat this serious chronic disease called sickle cell but when the legislature passed cannabis in Kentucky with the expressed purpose of reducing reliance on opioids, they left out sickle cell. In general, the general assembly made the most restrictive list of qualifying conditions in this country,” Seavers said.
If you think you may qualify for medical cannabis cards, locate and contact a participating provider and schedule an appointment.
Once you receive a certification, then you can apply for a medical cannabis card on KY.gov.
