GLASGOW, KY – The time to discuss medical cannabis in Barren County government is upon us. While most local municipalities have determined, to some degree, their course of action on the 2025 legalization of medical cannabis in the state of Kentucky, county government has still not determined whether to “opt in” or “opt out” of the possibility of having a growing facility, manufacturing center, or dispensary of the newly approved drug for medicinal practice in the state.
Most local governing bodies have chosen to opt out, initially, due to the unknown factors and ever-developing changes in regulation from Frankfort. The Barren Fiscal Court met Tuesday, and discussed the matter at length. While no magistrate voiced their disapproval of the new law, most were cautious in how they were to responsibly make decisions on a state-wide change and how it will affect their constituency in the county. Concerns of whether or not to put it to a vote of the public, whether to opt in right away or opt out and wait until we know more, enforcing the regulations of the legalization of what is still a Level 3 narcotic, and the effects opting in or out could have on those who are prescribed, as well as the economic impact of the cannabis industry.
Kevin Myatt, Planning and Zoning Director, was on hand to address many of those concerns.
Magistrate Tim Durham expressed that he felt the people of Barren County should decide, and put it on the November ballot. Myatt’s response to that was multifaceted in that the process and the time tables would make adding it to the ballot, or even a special-called election, a bad option for the county.
Firstly, the business licenses for any type of medical cannabis-related entity will be limited and would be obtained through a strenuous application process that ultimately ends in a lottery. Only 4 dispensary licenses will be awarded in Barren’s 9-county region, meaning even if the county did opt in, it’s not a guarantee that any license awarded through that process would operate their business in Barren County.
Myatt also noted that the dates for applying for one of those business licenses is July 1st through August 31st of this year. If a prospective licensee pays the $5,000 application fee, an “opt out” decision by Barren County government would mean that they could not list an address in the county’s territory on that application.
Magistrate Tim Coomer, while in support of medical cannabis, voiced his position would be to wait and learn more, citing that once that county opts in, they cannot opt out. Magistrate Ronnie Stinson made it clear he was in support of opting in for his campaign promise of trying to do better for the county’s economic options. Myatt assured the court that if you opt out, you can opt in any time in the future. He added that if you opt in before the end of 2024, you will not be able to opt out.
Adding more complexity to all concerns, if the decision were to be made by voters in an election, the county would have to wait three years before bringing up the topic for debate.
Siding with Kinslow on the economic investment the business could potentially bring, Magistrate Brad Groce voiced his opinion as to why he believed the time to opt in is now.
Groce and others also added that adding the issue to an election ballot would cause the same level of division amongst citizens in the community that the vote on the sale of alcohol did in the early 2000’s.
Magistrate Jeff Botts proposed the idea of a town hall meeting or more media exposure to find out if anyone is looking to apply for one of the limited licenses and put the business in Barren County.
As for those not on the court, County Attorney Mike Richardson cited his research on the negative impacts that resulted from similar legalizations of medical cannabis in other states. Also, Sheriff Kent Keen gave his comments as to how his agency would deal with those trying to defraud the system.
Judge Executive Jamie Bewley Byrd announced at the conclusion of the meeting that the matter would be determined at the July fiscal court meeting. That decision would not have any effect on the individual decisions made by Park City, Cave City, and the city of Glasgow.
