FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky’s auditor mentioned Thursday that her workplace will examine the state’s medical hashish program after receiving complaints in regards to the lottery system used to award extremely sought-after licenses to develop, course of and promote the medicinal merchandise to eligible sufferers.
Auditor Allison Ball mentioned her workplace will study the applying course of and the way enterprise licenses have been awarded as a part of its evaluate of the Workplace of Medical Hashish in Gov. Andy Beshear’s administration.
The state acquired 1000’s of functions for licenses, and Beshear has mentioned the state-run lotteries final 12 months have been a good solution to give candidates an opportunity to land the restricted variety of licenses awarded.
The governor’s workplace mentioned Thursday that the licensing rules underwent legislative critiques and that the method to award the licenses was clear, together with the live-streaming of lotteries.
“The people who’ve come ahead to specific ‘issues’ went by the complete course of and didn’t complain till after not being chosen within the lottery,” Beshear spokeswoman Crystal Staley mentioned.
Nevertheless, critiques by Louisville Public Media discovered that out-of-state residents dominated the lotteries for licenses, tracing it to a flood of functions from deep-pocketed firms.
In asserting the probe Thursday, the state’s Republican auditor mentioned: “My workplace has continued to obtain complaints about how the Workplace of Medical Hashish administered the lottery course of for awarding medical hashish enterprise licenses. Kentuckians ought to believe that state places of work function with transparency and integrity, and my workplace is dedicated to making sure these requirements.”
Requested for particulars about who lodged complaints, Ball’s workplace replied: “To keep away from disrupting the continued investigation, we aren’t in a position to present additional remark relating to any specifics right now.”
When asserting the lottery system almost a 12 months in the past, Beshear known as it a good course of meant to take away any temptation to foyer in an effort to “get a leg up in numerous ways in which we don’t need to see.”
Limiting cultivator, processor and dispensary licenses was meant to keep away from flooding the market with medicinal hashish merchandise that might exceed demand, hurting the fledgling companies, Beshear mentioned.
The governor has mentioned this system could possibly be expanded with extra companies sooner or later, relying on demand and whether or not extra qualifying medical situations are added. Kentucky lawmakers legalized medical hashish for individuals affected by a spread of debilitating diseases, together with most cancers, a number of sclerosis, power ache, epilepsy, power nausea and post-traumatic stress dysfunction.
Kentucky’s medical hashish program launched firstly of 2025. The cultivation and distribution community is ramping up for the beginning of gross sales. Greater than 8,000 Kentuckians up to now have acquired a medical hashish card, Beshear mentioned, and floor was damaged not too long ago for a cultivation operation.
“We’re working as quick as we are able to to get protected, dependable medical hashish on the cabinets for many who qualify for a card,” Beshear mentioned Thursday.
The medical hashish probe is the newest evaluate of the Democratic governor’s administration by the auditor’s workplace. Earlier this 12 months, Ball mentioned a preliminary review discovered that dozens of foster youngsters in Kentucky spent nights sleeping in social providers buildings whereas awaiting placement by a state company. Ball mentioned these preliminary findings have spurred a broader investigation.
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