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In the spring, the Nicholasville City Commission voted to approve an ordinance restricting cannabis businesses from functioning in the city. At this time, Nicholasville Mayor Alex Carter told the journal that he and the city commission needed more information on state regulations before saying yes. 

Senate Bill 47, signed by Gov. Andy Beshear on March 31, 2023, legalizes medical cannabis beginning in 2025. Now, municipal governments can decide whether they want cannabis operations in their jurisdictions. Some local governments are putting the decision up for a vote. But that deadline has long passed.

Other local Kentucky governments are opting out, and those who do not are automatically opted in. Patients with a prescription for medical cannabis in 2025 can still purchase and possess their prescription from other counties and municipalities. 

“We just wanted to make sure what our requirements are as far as regulation, regulating these dispensaries, cultivators, or labs. There were a lot of questions on our end about what our requirements were as far as regulation on the local level. We just want to make sure that at the time it is adopted and when we are allowing it in Nicholasville that we do it the right way,” Carter said. 

At the August 26 city commission meeting, Carter explained that he had given the commission “a lot more” information, including recently updated state regulations. A summary of these regulations and the link to those specific laws can be found here: kymedcan.ky.gov/laws-and-regulations/Pages/Regulations.aspx

“Those state regulations are very restrictive, and the state office of medical cannabis is very well organized to help assist communities like ourselves in helping with those regulations,” Carter said. 

The discussion started during the first reading of the following ordinance:

Ordinance 169-2024: an ordinance relating to the allowance of cannabis business operations in Nicholasville, Kentucky. (An ordinance amending the code of ordinances for the city of Nicholasville to allow cannabis business operations in the city of Nicholasville and abolishing any previous ordinance inconsistent with [this ordinance].) 

It wasn’t until after passing the ordinance to restrict any production, testing, or sale of medical marijuana in the city, that the commission became aware of an existing testing facility in Nicholasville. The business, KCA Labs, which quality tests marijuana and hemp, has applied to continue operating in Nicholasville throughout the state. Applications to become cultivators or processors, applications to open a safety compliance facility, and dispensaries in Kentucky closed on August 31. 

“It’s a potential business opportunity. We’re all pro-business here and want to support these small businesses and our citizens will benefit from the medical care that they need as well,” Carter said. 

The ordinance received a unanimous vote of approval. The next Nicholasville City Commission meeting, on Monday, Sept. 9, will likely feature the second reading of this ordinance. 

With this update, the sale and all production and testing of Medical Marijuana is only barred by the city of Wilmore, being allowed in the rest of the county. 

The Jessamine County Fiscal Court has not made any motions rejecting or allowing medical marijuana in the county, meaning the county allows medical cannabis operations. However, the Fiscal Court’s magistrates can reject operations until Jan. 1, 2025.