HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – Under a new Kentucky law, medical cannabis cultivators, producers, processors, and safety facilities can open their doors in the state. The Hopkinsville City Council was optimistic Tuesday evening during discussions about the city allowing these businesses.

“The benefits as opposed to what the consequences may be are the things we want to address,” said council member Donald Marsh during the meeting. “We want to ultimately meet the needs of citizens that have a medical need.”

Next steps for the council

City Attorney Douglas Willen talked the council through a packet supplied by the Kentucky League of Cities that outlined their options. With the new law, the council can choose to allow medical cannabis businesses, or they can opt out and create an ordinance preventing them from opening within city limits. The third option is to create a resolution to place an item on the ballot for the upcoming election.

The state has been divided into 11 regions, with 4 dispensary licenses permitted per region, with a limit of one dispensary per county. Christian County’s region has 7 other eligible counties, and lottery system will be put in place if a large number of counties opt in.

Willen explained that the new law does not take effect until Jan. 1, and the city needs to take action before then to ensure licenses are issued and proper zoning is in place. Present councilmembers unanimously agreed to move forward and start the zoning process.

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Community involvement and access

Mayor Knight told the council that he will prioritize bringing in various experts to make sure the community and councilmembers are fully informed and can make correct zoning decisions in the upcoming months.

In the information supplied to the council, the KLC specified exactly who in the community will have access to these dispensaries, saying that medical cannabis cards could be issued for varying conditions including cancer, epilepsy, pain management, multiple sclerosis, chronic nausea, PTSD, and other conditions as approved by a medical professional.

After the meeting, Mayor Knight said that he is eager to make sure future medical cannabis related businesses are inside Christian County and the city. He continued to say the purpose of this discussion at the meeting was to make sure all councilmembers were on board.

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