standpoint.

>> The governor also discuss the medical marijuana votes that took place Tuesday voters and 53 counties and 53 cities way down whether or not to allow medical cannabis businesses in their communities.

Sam planned executive director of Kentucky's Office of Medical Cannabis says Kentucky hands are overwhelmingly in favor of the program.

>> We believe that it has past and every single jurisdiction where it was on the ballot.

So all 106.

And that's from communities all across Kentucky, rural.

>> Suburban X, Irvin, Irvin and small communities, large ones throughout the state.

Folks in Kentucky for a long time have known that medical cannabis can be beneficial to folks around Kentucky.

There's certainly many folks that have one of the qualifying conditions that we have here in Kentucky.

So cancer, PTSD, epilepsy product, not a chronic pain of multiple sclerosis.

And these folks of their neighbors and they see their neighbors suffering in, you know, like like Kentucky's do, they want to help.

And certainly this is one way that that they were able to help, which is a vote to allow medical cannabis businesses to operate.

And there's those communities which means that medicine can be closer to the folks that act.

We need that medicine.

>> Currently, 21 counties have opted out of the medical cannabis program, meaning they've chosen not to allow medical cannabis businesses to operate in their communities.

You can see those counties highlighted in red on this map.

Nearly 4 dozen of Kentucky's 419 cities have done the same by law.

Kentucky's medical Cannabis program officially begins January 1st, the 2025 General Assembly starts just 6 days later.

Flynn says there's a push for new legislation that could expand the program to more patients.

>> Certainly a priority of the governor and something that he has pushed the through with the Legislature last year was pushing for the expansion of the qualifying conditions.

And that is something that we certainly push for through this office with respect to legislation last year was not included in the final bill and House Bill 829. was included in a in a Senate bill that was sponsored by Senator West.

We certainly encourage them to take that up again.

There's a lot of really important qualifying conditions that are included in that list that we would like to add that are not included in the in the current law and those are some really important conditions impact a lot of people and ultimately their inclusion.

What allow for additional care for folks that are suffering.

And, you know, I can tell you that one of the conditions that's president numbers, every single state that you might look at for medical cannabis programs as terminal illness, not included in in Kentucky's law, but certainly included in many other states sickle cell anemia is another one that is included in many other states laws, but not Kentucky's ALS, Parkinson's.

some other serious conditions as well included in that list.

>> Last month the state awarded.

26 medical cannabis licenses to cultivators and processors.

The first of 2 lottery drawings for dispensary licenses is scheduled for November.

The 25th the second will take place next month.