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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — With just weeks to go before medical marijuana becomes available in Kentucky, many residents have questions about how it will work.
Medical Marijuana Card
One of the biggest questions is how to go about getting a medical card. Anyone needing a medical marijuana card must see a registered medical cannabis practitioner approved by the state to get a written certification.
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One of those approved medical cannabis practitioners in Louisville is called Kentucky Marijuana Card. The company’s president, Cassandra Brooks, explained what to expect.
“The physician will kind of just sit down with you (and) discuss what’s been going on,” Brooks said. “‘What are your pain symptoms? How can medical marijuana help you?'”
She said the appointments are expected to take roughly 15-20 minutes. Patients should have proof of their qualifying medical condition to receive a card. Those conditions include cancer, chronic pain, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, chronic nausea and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Patients who receive a written certification can apply for a medical cannabis card starting Jan. 1, 2025. Once qualified patients begin applying, the state will approve or deny applications within 30 days. If approved, patients will be issued a card within five days that will be valid for one year. That card will cost $25 annually.
“No physician or a nurse practitioner will be able to tell the patient what exact products to purchase and how much to take at any given time and what time to take them,” Brooks said. “So it’s a certification, not a prescription.”
A “registered practitioner directory” is now available online, where patients can find information about where to go for a written certification. CLICK HERE to access it.
Insurance Coverage
Since marijuana is still illegal on the federal level, patients should prepare for out-of-pocket costs insurance companies can’t cover.
“Because it is not federally legal, no insurance company can cover the evaluation or any product at any dispensary,” Brooks said.
The state will allow anyone with a medical marijuana card to buy a 30-day supply of medical cannabis products. That’s 112 grams of raw plant material, 28 grams of concentrate, or 3,900 milligrams of THC infused medical cannabis products such as edibles.
Ultimately, Brooks said it’s up to the patient to experiment and find the medical cannabis options that best fit their situation.
“The state doesn’t tell you — and a doctor can’t tell you — exactly what product is going to work for you,” Brooks said. “Every single person metabolizes cannabis differently. At Kentucky Marijuana Card, we give free follow ups all year. So if you can’t find a product that works best for you, you can come back into the office.”
In other states, dispensaries have initially started out as cash only, before moving to a credit card option. Experts says Kentucky is likely to start out the same way.
Since Kentucky law requires all medical marijuana to be grown, processed, and sold in the Commonwealth, it’s unlikely it will be available for purchase come Jan. 1. 2025. That’s because Kentucky’s cannabis cultivators got their licenses at the end of October. They still need to build infrastructure and pass inspections before they can begin growing marijuana.
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”}]] With just weeks to go before medical marijuana becomes available in Kentucky, many residents have questions about how it will work. Read More
