LINK nky: Kentucky cities consider medical marijuana regulations
UC Blue Ash economics professor says existing state laws seek to protect children
With medical marijuana set to become legal in Kentucky in 2025, cities in Kenton County have to decide whether they’ll allow medical cannabis businesses to operate in their jurisdictions, LINK nky reported.
Keshar Ghimire, PhD, associate professor of economics at UC Blue Ash
While medical cannabis will become legal next year, local governments can pass zoning restrictions on cannabis cultivation, processing, production and dispensaries to go along with existing statewide regulations.
“Kentucky has passed a pretty comprehensive medical cannabis law,” said Keshar Ghimire, PhD, an associate professor of economics at the University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College. “They have a long list of qualifying conditions.”
Among the state requirements already in place is a 1,000-foot separation between a cannabis business and an “existing school or daycare.”
“This requirement addresses the concern that [cannabis] dispensaries, when nearby, have the potential to influence minors’ attitude and/or access to marijuana,” Ghimire said. “The distance also ensures that whatever criminal and other unwanted activities that may happen near dispensaries don’t affect the school environment.”
Featured image at top: Marijuana in a cannabis dispensary. Photo/Budding via Unsplash
Impact Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction. Next Lives Here.
Related Stories
Removing Barriers to Higher Education
January 8, 2026
Cincinnati media covered the rollout of the Bearcat Affordability Grant which provdes a pathway to tuition-free college for students of famlies who make less than $75,000 per year and are residents of the state of Ohio.
The biggest skin-care trends of 2026 go back to basics
January 8, 2026
The University of Cincinnati's Kelly Dobos was featured in an Allure article discussing the biggest skin-care trends of 2026.
UC launches Bearcat Affordability Grant
January 7, 2026
The University of Cincinnati is making college more attainable for students across Ohio with the creation of the Bearcat Affordability Grant. The new grant will provide a pathway to tuition-free college for students of families who make less than $75,000 per year. Beginning in fall 2026, the Bearcat Affordability Grant will cover the remaining cost of tuition for Ohio residents who are Pell eligible.