LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- In six weeks Kentuckians can start using medical marijuana.
Jennifer Dunegan lives with gastroparesis, which is paralysis of the stomach said it's like having food poisoning everyday.
"Everything from vomiting to nausea to all the other extremes," Dunegan said.
She also suffers from epilepsy, neuropathy and fibromyalgia.
"I'm always in pain in some form," Dunegan said.
She can't take narcotics due to her condition, so she's turned to medical marijuana.
"I've tried CBD oil at first," Dunegan said. "That helps some but really, cannabis THC is what will actually control my pain."
That's why she's thrilled Kentucky is starting the process.
Currently under Governor Andy Beshear's executive order, patients can have a medical marijuana card but they have to go to another state to purchase the drug.
On Monday, a dispensary lottery will be held for 9 of the 11 cannabis regions. The other two, which includes Louisville, will be held on December 16.
Last month, nearly 30 licenses were granted to cultivators, safety compliance facilities and processors.
"Medical cannabis is about health care," Beshear said. "The purpose of this program is to help Kentuckians who are suffering like our veterans, suffering from PTSD."
Post-traumatic stress disorder is one of the six conditions that qualify.
The others are cancer, chronic pain, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and chronic nausea.
"It's no different than if you put me on a different seizure medicine, a certain blood pressure medicine, maybe an anti-nausea medicine," Dunegan said. "Sometimes it'll work, sometimes they don't. They all have drastic side effects from them whereas with the cannabis you tend to have a lot less side effects and in my case better results."
On Dec. 1, Beshear is opening a directory to help patients locate authorized medical marijuana practitioners. Those practitioners will also be able to start providing patients with written certifications for the drug
There are currently more than 150 authorized practitioners across the commonwealth.
For more information on medical marijuana in Kentucky, click here. For more information on marijuana use in Kentucky for patients and caregivers, click here.
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