Efforts to establish medical marijuana dispensaries in Newport, Kentucky, have hit a significant roadblock due to strict state regulations and zoning challenges. Despite voter approval in 2024, the city’s updated zoning map reveals only four small areas where dispensaries could legally operate. These zones are limited by Kentucky’s 1,000-foot rule, which prohibits facilities from being near schools or daycares. With nearly two dozen such institutions in Newport’s 3.5 square miles, viable locations are scarce.

Compounding the issue, Newport on the Levee—a prominent commercial hub—has its own policies barring dispensaries. Assistant City Manager Brian Steffen expressed doubts about moving forward without practical locations for businesses, stating, “It just really isn’t worth the effort.”

City officials remain open to revisiting the matter if regulations evolve. For now, residents seeking medical marijuana must turn to dispensaries in nearby Ohio. Read more at The Cincinnati Enquirer.