Kentucky's medical marijuana program is moving forward.

Today, the state held a lottery to determine which businesses will be allowed to cultivate and process medical marijuana.

In total, nearly 600 companies filed an application to cultivate the plant.

16 businesses in the counties highlighted on this map were awarded a license for cultivating medical marijuana.

Today, ten additional businesses were awarded a license to process medical marijuana.

You can see where they'll be located here.

Governor Andy Beshear and the Kentucky Office of Medical Cannabis working alongside the Kentucky Lottery, announced the winners this afternoon.

This is only the first step.

There's a number of different steps they'll have to go through with the Office of Medical Cannabis.

There'll be inspections again, making sure we do this right.

We only get to set up the medical cannabis program once.

And the number one thing that we're focused on is doing it safely and doing it correctly, especially in the first months that it's going to be in operation.

Remember, if the General Assembly will add extra conditions and or the groups that that are identified under law that can we will be able to expand this program in the future, which would allow more businesses to apply in the future.

Lastly, I want to tell those Kentuckians that have really needed this relief that help is on the way.

That I know right now they're able to get some relief by going to other states and not facing prosecution.

But there is a new day coming in Kentucky on January 1st or as soon after it, as all of the dispensaries and other parts of the business get up and running, where you're going to be able to get safe medical cannabis to help you with your conditions.

The next step is to hold a lottery for businesses seeking a dispensary license.

More than 400 companies applied there.

Only 48 will be selected.

There will be spread out across the state, with at least four in each of these 11 regions.

Governor Beshear set a date for the dispensary lottery will be announced on Thursday.

The Kentucky General Assembly legalized medical cannabis for qualifying patients in 2023, setting a start date for the program for January 1st of next year.