For more than 100 cities and counties across Kentucky.

There is another ballot question for them to vote up or down on medical marijuana.

Kentucky's new medical marijuana program will go into effect January one of next year.

Local jurisdictions can approve or reject business operations of licensed medical marijuana growers, dispensaries and processors.

Sam Flynn, executive director of the Kentucky Medical Cannabis Program, explained more about it in our interview earlier today.

The law so Senate Bill 47, which was passed in 2023, which legalizes medical cannabis starting January 1st of next year, 2025, allows local jurisdictions to opt in, opt out, or put it on the ballot.

Everybody starts from a position of being in.

Thus far, a number of jurisdictions have made the decision to put it on the ballot.

Counties, I think there's 53 currently and 50 cities, and that's verified with the State Board of Elections.

And we worked with them very closely to make sure that we were monitoring this.

And those folks are spread throughout the state.

So no geographic areas, you know, yes, we're all putting it on the ballot or not.

It's pretty well spread throughout the Commonwealth.

And there are some jurisdictions where folks will be voting on this twice.

So there are some jurisdictions and some cities that have put it on the ballot in some and in counties that have also put it on the ballot.

And so folks may have the opportunity to ticket split and vote.

You know, yes, I want it in the city.

No, I don't want it in the county or no, I don't want in the county.

Yes, I want in the city.

However that breaks down.

And that's okay, right?

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

And this is important to remember that this has to do with cannabis business operations.

So the law provides that that folks get to vote on whether these businesses are allowed to be licensed in their jurisdiction.

So this does not have to do.

It's very important to note this does not have to do with whether patients can possess and have their medical cannabis if they're a cardholder in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

These votes will not impact that.

It will impact only whether businesses can set up shop in that town or a county.

The state is only initially licensing 48 medical cannabis dispensaries spread across 11 regions and a lottery that takes place on Monday.

And we'll have more from Sam Flynn about local referendum efforts and a future broadcast of Kentucky edition this week.