♪ Of course, drinks aren't the only places you can find.

Cannabis in Kentucky, the state's medical marijuana program went into effect at the beginning of the year.

While dispensaries are still working to get up and running.

Some physicians are now issuing medical cannabis cards.

We spoke with a doctor and ashlan in northeastern Kentucky about that process and why he thinks marijuana is an effect of medicine.

More about this in today's medical news.

>> My interest in the program probably sparked my other kind of my job in emergency medicine.

It's no secret that a lot of folks in our part of the country and eastern Kentucky, especially all over the commonwealth.

But definitely in eastern Kentucky where practice we've definitely been hit pretty hard by the opioid epidemic over the years.

There are a lot of patients in our region that, you know, definitely could.

That could benefit from using cannabis to better manage chronic conditions.

Cannabis is a is a very, very, very unique medicine, said it's a it's a living breathing organism.

I think most people are probably familiar with that with THC.

One of the main active components in in candidates.

But there are.

I think, like 528 different components that have been isolated from cannabis plants.

There have been found to have some medicinal or therapeutic effects, kind of first step to getting access to the program is meeting with a qualified Kentucky cannabis practitioner.

So that can be a physician or nurse practitioner who has completed the education and training requirements set forth by the state to participate in the in the medical cannabis program.

The first is that have to be in person.

So like here at our office, a blue folks will either bring medical records from, you know, that another physician that they've been cared for by or if you're somebody who, you know, I don't have printed out copies of your medical records or anything like that.

>> The good thing about the program is that part of that training process is is we have the ability to diagnose.

>> Some of these qualifying medical medical conditions in our practice here probably caught pain is the most common complaint that we're seeing.

A lot of folks are saying that, you know, opiate medications, you know, they may come.

So if you take that, they can't function in terms of their daily life.

They were about dependents.

They worry about tolerance.

It's one thing to that I think is is potentially a little bit of a misconception about, you know, medical cannabis.

We tell people here in our office that, you know, if if if all your achieving by, you know, coming to see us for medical cannabis treatment is and you know, feeling impaired, feeling high, feeling intoxicated, then then we're not doing our job.

Also a lot of patients that Muncy and have been using cannabis as medicine for decades.

By the time they come see me, you know, on the flip side of that, there are tons of patients who we've seen so far that and never use campus ever in their lives ever.

You know what we've heard on the state level so far as well.

I think there's been think of a 5,000 patients registered and approved so far last I heard the stories we get to hear the folks with the help and it's been a a good, good spirits so far on my mind things.

I'm going to do that until.

>> He'll talk.

Anthony Moore, thank.

>> Currently in Kentucky, only a limited number of medical conditions, including cancer, epilepsy and PTSD can qualify a patient for medical marijuana.

You can find a full list of conditions.

Plus, directory of certified Cannabis Physicians online at K Y Med