Cresco Labs unveils Kentucky's large-scale medical marijuana facility

Kentucky marked a significant milestone in its medical marijuana rollout with the ribbon-cutting of Cresco Labs' $15.4 million cultivation facility in Winchester, one of the state's largest. The facility, housed in a former firearms factory, will employ about 100 people and is expected to bring products to market by the end of the year. Cresco Labs, with experience in eight other states, emphasized the sophisticated, highly regulated nature of its operations and plans to initially build out a 5,000-square-foot plant canopy, scaling up as demand grows. Governor Andy Beshear celebrated the launch as progress toward providing safe, regulated cannabis products to Kentuckians, particularly those affected by addiction and PTSD. The rollout comes amid an investigation by State Auditor Allison Ball into the licensing lottery process, which officials say was transparent and open to public comment, with further expansion anticipated as the program matures. Nearly 9,000 medical cards have already been issued, reflecting strong initial interest in Kentucky's new medical cannabis market.