CARBONDALE, Ill. — Medical marijuana is coming to Kentucky next year. In the neighboring state of Illinois, it’s been legal for more than 10 years.
Cannabis business owners there said this new Kentucky legislation could impact their operations.
If Kentucky has cheaper fees or products, southern Illinois patients could move to a place where their prescription costs less.
However, the economic growth Kentucky could see from introducing the cannabis industry would be a major benefit.
Kentucky has some things to learn before they can introduce medical cannabis to the state.
There’s plant growth, product manufacturing and they also need to test the products.
That’s where Kyle Baker’s business comes in.
He’s the founder of CleanTheory and has been testing cannabis in southern Illinois since 2018.
“Kentucky, they’re starting a new medical program, so it’s really important that that product remains safe, clean for that consumer that might be medically compromised,” Baker said.
He’s seen the effect medical cannabis can have firsthand.
“My grandmother has Parkinson’s. This is a woman who never drank a drop of alcohol. Years ago, she was reeling, shaking quite a bit. I presented the idea, ‘Maybe we should try some cannabis oil.’ Within 15 minutes, she stopped shaking. She was able to sleep at night,” said Baker.
It not only benefits patients, but also local economies.
“We’ve seen small towns that really didn’t have a lot of industry that now plumbers are moving in, electricians, little mom and pop shops. So yes, we see economic stimulation across the country,” Baker said.
Dr. Jose Leme, assistant professor of plant biology at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, said it’s bring students into academia, too.
“We could not study this plant or do any type of research addressing this plant. So now that we have more flexibility, things are changing. We need to catch up,” said Leme.
He’s curious to see how Kentucky’s cannabis market affects nearby states.
“It creates opportunity for this state but also it creates competition for the state that’s already legal,” Leme said.
Baker is considering expanding his business into Kentucky.
Because each state has its own regulations, CleanTheory would need to apply for a cannabis business license to test products in the commonwealth.
Some cannabis business license applications for Kentucky open July 1.