On the heels of Gov. Andy Beshear’s historic decision to legalize medical cannabis , two local businesswomen announced they will be opening, CannaBuzz Bar at 938 Manchester St. on April 20. Before we dive into the details of this new Distillery District venture, let’s take a look back at bud in the Bluegrass.
How we got here
- June 2022 — Gov. Beshear announced the creation of a 17-member Team Kentucky Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee . Physicians, attorneys, public health workers + more toured the state to collect public opinions on medical marijuana.
- November 2022 — Gov. Beshear signed an executive order allowing citizens with certain medical conditions to obtain cannabis legally in other states where it is legal and regulated, and use it in Kentucky. The state also began regulating the sale of Delta 8 .
SB 47 explained
Senate Bill 47 , officially legalizing medical marijuana, was signed into law on Friday, March 31 to “provide relief to Kentuckians from severe medical conditions and ensure medical cannabis is dispensed safely.”
SB 47 will not go into effect until Jan. 1, 2025, but when it does, the bill will regulate all aspects of Kentucky’s medical cannabis program including —
- Dispensaries
- Cultivators
- Practitioners
- Processors
- Products
- Issuing of identification cards to patients and caregivers
- Authorization process for medical practitioners to recommend use
- A cannabis business license application process + its requirements
The buzz
CannaBuzz came to be thanks to a partnership between hemp advocate and OP Innovates founder Annie Rouse + Grand Reserve owner Jill Bakehorn.
To start, it will be able to sell Annie’s line of hemp-derived THC products, marketed under the brands Overcome , Hemp Mellow , and 13th Floor . Once SB 47 goes into effect, CannaBuzz will apply for a license to dispense medical marijuana.
The “cannabis infusion experience” will be located across the street from the new boutique hotel The Manchester . They also plan to open a health bar with edible and drinkable hemp-infused concoctions, and a beer garden.