Kentucky Senate approves medical marijuana and sports betting bills, sends slot machine ban proposal to governor.

The Kentucky Senate has passed a bill legalizing medical marijuana for the first time ever, with strict regulations on qualifying conditions and the sale and access of the drug. Patients must have a doctor's certification for any of the limited list of qualifying medical conditions, and the drug will not be available until 2025 to allow for regulation. The bill includes standards for setting up a dispensary, applying for a business license, obtaining the product for distribution, and taxation levied on producers and dispensaries.