FRANKFORT, Ky. (WKYT) – Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear signed an executive order on Tuesday providing further guidance on which medical conditions qualify for medical cannabis in the commonwealth.
The following conditions were added to the list:
- Terminal illness
- Sickle cell anemia
- ALS
- Parkinson’s disease
- HIV
- AIDS
- Huntington’s disease
- Muscular dystrophy
- Cachexia or wasting syndrome
- Crohn’s disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Neuropathies
- Severe arthritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Glaucoma
The list for the Kentucky Medical Cannabis program already includes conditions such as chronic pain, cancer and post-traumatic stress disorder.
The governor said that the 2023 law setting up Kentucky’s medical cannabis program did not provide much clarity on which conditions qualified.
The law is meant to provide a safe alternative form of pain relief for Kentuckians suffering, yet the law’s lack of clarity prevented too many people from receiving help. This step makes the law more clear,” Beshear said. “This emergency regulation will help more Kentuckians reclaim their lives through safe, nonaddictive medical cannabis.”
Medical providers and advocates are hopeful that the executive order will help their patients or loved ones, such as Rebecca Seavers, president of the Sickle Cell Association of Kentuckiana.
“Sickle cell causes sudden, excruciating pain anywhere the blood flows, for hours, days or even longer,” Seavers said, who has a daughter and granddaughter who suffer from the illness. “Right now, in Kentucky and across the country, opioids are prescribed for sickle cell patients. I want to thank Gov. Beshear for taking this action that will provide sickle cell patients more safe options. Thousands of Kentuckians, the Sickle Cell Association of Kentuckiana and myself are proud to support this step.”
Mobile bus brings assessments to patients as Beshear adds 15 qualifying conditions
Austin Dray said Gov. Andy Beshear’s executive order adding 15 conditions to Kentucky’s medical cannabis qualifying list will help more patients understand they are eligible.
“As an operational standpoint, it doesn’t do much for us but it does allow a lot more patients to be aware and be educated,” said Dray, a clinical specialist at Kentucky Marijuana Card in Lexington.
More than 23,000 Kentuckians already hold a medical cannabis card.
Dray is a cardholder who dealt with chronic pain. He now helps others obtain cards.
“Growing up, I was actually one of those people who had a stigma against medical cannabis or just cannabis in general,” Dray said.
He said the process is thorough, and specialists make sure patients have the necessary paperwork and meet exam requirements.
“It’s not just anyone can just get the card, obviously they have to go through the full assessment with our providers and be able to show that they do have certain like, if it’s pain, if it’s PTSD, whatever the qualification is,” Dray said.
Kentucky Marijuana Card brings the in-person assessment directly to the patient through a mobile bus that travels across the state.
“Because a lot of people who are in chronic pain or have the other qualifications all of them may not be able to get out of the house,” Dray said.
Dray said he hopes the expanded list will push more people to seek relief.
