Kanawha County, WV Cannabis Regulations: Dispensary Zoning (2026)
Key Facts
- Type
- Medical only
- Permit
- WV Office of Medical Cannabis
- School/daycare buffer
- 1,000 feet
- Statute
- W. Va. Code §16A-8-2
- County zoning
- None; city zoning where adopted
Summary
Medical cannabis dispensaries are legal and operating in the Kanawha County area, licensed by the WV Office of Medical Cannabis. State law bars any dispensary within 1,000 feet of a school or daycare, and where a city zones, its commercial-district rules also apply.
A dispensary may not be located within one thousand feet of the property line of a public, private or parochial school or a daycare center.
Full Breakdown
Only medical dispensaries are allowed in Kanawha County; there are no recreational sales. The WV Office of Medical Cannabis permits dispensaries under the Medical Cannabis Act, W. Va. Code §16A-1-1 et seq., and Charleston hosts operating dispensaries. W. Va. Code §16A-8-2 bars a dispensary within 1,000 feet of the property line of a public, private, or parochial school or a daycare center, subject to a state waiver for patient access. Siting also answers to local zoning where a municipality zones: Charleston, a Home Rule city, places dispensaries in approved commercial districts under W. Va. Code §8A-7-2. Kanawha County has not adopted countywide zoning, so unincorporated siting turns on the state permit, the 1,000-foot buffer, and county specific-use rules.
Violations & Fines
A dispensary operating without an Office of Medical Cannabis permit, inside the 1,000-foot school or daycare buffer, or against a city's zoning faces permit denial or revocation and local enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are cannabis dispensaries allowed in Kanawha County?
How far must a dispensary sit from a school?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kanawha County
Compare Kanawha County to another location·View the West Virginia cannabis regulations overview
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