With dispensaries in Ohio now selling recreational marijuana, many residents in neighboring Kentucky who use cannabis may be thinking about making a trip across the Ohio River, activists say."As Ohio gets rec, people are going to be like, 'OK, shorter trip. I don't have to go to Michigan, don't have to go to Illinois,'" said Matthew Bratcher, executive director of the Kentucky Chapter of National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, referring to the state's previous two closest neighbors with legal recreational marijuana.But, Bratcher adds, "That could put a lot of people at risk."Of course, many stores in the Bluegrass State advertise THC products and anticipation runs high for the state's medical marijuana program.Here's a breakdown of what is allowed and what is not in Kentucky.Recreational marijuanaWhile people over the age of 21 will be able to travel to Ohio and legally use cannabis there, trouble could come if you bring it across state lines.Possession of marijuana is still a crime in Kentucky and anyone caught with more than 8 ounces can automatically be charged with trafficking, a felony.A possession charge for less than eight ounces amounts to a misdemeanor and can result in a fine of up to $250 or a jail sentence of up to 45 days.Indiana has harsher penalties, with a fine up to $1,000 or as many as 1,000 days in jail.While police in urban areas might be unlikely to charge someone for small amounts 맥스카지노� Jefferson County Attorney Mike O'Connell has said his office will not even prosecute cases involving less than one ounce 맥스카지노� law enforcement in other parts of the state might be more strict, Bratcher said. Hemp-derived THC productsIf recreational marijuana is illegal in Kentucky, why do so many stores advertise THC products?The answer lies in a quirk of the U.S. Farm Bill that legalized hemp cultivation and products at the federal level and state legislation that allowed hemp in Kentucky. Hemp is a variety of marijuana that has low amounts of THC, the intoxicating chemical compound that makes users "high." Enough THC can be extracted from hemp to create a potent concentrate, often labeled Delta-8 or Delta-9, that is legal to sell in Kentucky.Dee Dee Taylor, who sells such products at her 502 Hemp Wellness Center in Louisville, said she does not believe it's worth driving to another state for recreational marijuana when hemp-derived THC products are already available in Kentucky. "I personally wouldn't want to face that risk or that possibility of getting in trouble," she said. "I don't want to pay an attorney money. I'd rather use and enjoy legal products now."A law passed just last year putting regulations on delta-8 sales.Medical marijuanaKentucky's medical marijuana program launches in 2025 and Taylor has already submitted an application to operate a medical dispensary. The state will conduct a lottery sometime after Aug. 31 to determine who receives the limited number of licenses available.Kentucky residents can apply for a medical marijuana program beginning Jan. 1 but have to meet strict criteria. In the meantime, Gov. Andy Beshear has issued an executive order offering a pardon to anyone arrested for misdemeanor possession charges, but there are many conditions to the order. The initiative is retroactive, meaning someone could still be arrested, convicted and jailed before being pardoned. To be eligible, someone first obtain a certification from a licensed physician saying they have a qualifying medical condition and patients must also have a receipt from a dispensary in a state where marijuana is legal.Bratcher cautioned against websites offering fraudulent medical marijuana cards, which offer no legal protection "We've got a ton of confusion still," he said. "People think they're already in the program, not realizing come January they're going to have to apply and pay money to get into the program."Headed to Ohio?As of rollout day, there are 98 dispensaries opening, with about 15 of those in the Greater Cincinnati area.If you're headed that way, here are a few things to know before you go:You'll have to have your ID to prove you're 21There's a limit to how much you can buy.Dispensaries may only take debit cards or cash.You can't smoke non-medical cannabis in public.