Governor adds 15 more conditions that qualify for medical cannibis

More Kentuckians with serious illnesses will now qualify for medical cannabis cards at state dispensaries.

On Tuesday, Gov. Beshear signed an executive order to further clarify qualifying conditions for medical cannabis in Kentucky law.

Fifteen additional conditions were recognized, including:

Sickle cell anemia
ALS
Crohn’s disease
Parkinson’s disease
Terminal illness
HIV
AIDS
Huntington’s Disease
Muscular dystrophy
Cachexia or wasting syndrome
Ulcerative colitis
Neurophathies
Severe arthritis
Fibromyalgia
Glaucoma

The previous qualifying conditions include 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, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

A little over three years ago, Gov. Beshear signed Senate Bill 47, legalizing medical cannabis for Kentuckians beginning in 2025.

According to the state, Kentucky has 32 medical cannabis businesses up and running and has registered over 500 medical cannabis practitioners. Before the expansion, 23,700 Kentuckians have been approved for medical cannabis cards.


(AP Photo Charlie Reidel)