When High Profile Cannabis opened its doors in London, Kentucky, it wasn’t just another dispensary ribbon-cutting. It was the moment southeastern Kentucky got a seat at a table that’s been set for over a year — and the arrival of a company that has built its retail model around patient education as much as the products on its shelves.
High Profile is operated by C3 Industries, a multi-state cannabis company that has spent nearly a decade quietly becoming one of the most respected retail operators in the industry. Before setting foot in Kentucky, C3 had grown into one of the largest cannabis retailers in the Midwest, with more than 30 locations across Michigan, Missouri, Massachusetts, Illinois, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Its reputation has been earned not through flash, but through consistency: well-trained staff, carefully curated product selections, and a patient-first approach to every visit..
London is their first Kentucky location. It won’t be their last. Additional High Profile locations across the Commonwealth are scheduled to open in summer 2026.
“This is exactly the kind of market where High Profile can make a real difference,” said Vishal Rungta, President and co-founder of C3 Industries. “Our team is working to remove barriers that keep patients from getting the care they need.”
The Education Gap — and Why It Matters in Laurel County
Kentucky’s medical cannabis program launched January 1, 2025, and more than 16 months into the program, many patients in southeastern Kentucky are still navigating the certification process for the first time. Laurel County sits in a region where medical access has historically lagged, and where patients are frequently encountering cannabis as medicine for the first time — not as recreational users, but as people living with chronic pain, PTSD, cancer, epilepsy, and other qualifying conditions.
“At High Profile, we always talk about meeting consumers where they are on their cannabis journey,” says Chris Melillo. “For some people, it’s their very first visit to a dispensary because cannabis has been recommended as a new and viable option for them. For others, they’re experienced consumers who know exactly what they want. Our goal is to create an experience that feels approachable, educational, and comfortable for everyone who walks through our doors.”
In practice, that means budtenders trained to explain what each product is, how different delivery methods vary in onset and duration, and what patients should know before they leave the dispensary. For patients in a medical-only market like Kentucky, that kind of product knowledge is the differentiator.
High Profile London carries a full spectrum of medical cannabis products, including:
Flower — the traditional method, available in a range of cannabinoid and terpene profiles
Edibles — offering longer-onset, longer-duration relief, particularly useful for sleep and chronic pain
Vaporizers — a smoke-free inhalation alternative
Concentrates — high-potency extracts including wax, shatter, and live resin, offering targeted relief for patients who have developed tolerance or require stronger formulations
Rick Simpson Oil (RSO) — a full-spectrum, high-THC oil produced through alcohol extraction that has developed a devoted following among patients managing cancer, severe pain, and inflammatory conditions; High Profile staff are trained to walk patients through its use, dosing, and what the research does and doesn’t say.
For many Laurel County patients, this may be the first time a trained cannabis professional has ever sat down with them to explain the difference between a distillate cartridge and a live resin concentrate — or why RSO isn’t the right fit for everyone, but for some patients, nothing else comes close.
KCIA Partnership: Getting More Patients Through the Door
Recognizing that access to a dispensary means little if patients haven’t navigated Kentucky’s certification process, the Kentucky Cannabis Industry Association (KCIA) is hosting weekly patient drives every Thursday in May from 12–4 p.m. at the London location.
At each event, qualified patients can meet with independent practitioners to complete their certification and required paperwork in a single appointment — for just a $25 practitioner fee, plus the state’s $25 registration fee. New patients and renewals are both welcome, and walk-ins will be accommodated as the schedule allows.
“Certification should not be the stumbling block that keeps patients from accessing medicine they’ve waited years for. These patient drives are about making the process human — showing up in the community and walking people through it, in person,” said Rachel Roberts, Executive Director of the Kentucky Cannabis Industry Association.
About High Profile Cannabis / C3 Industries
C3 Industries is a private, vertically integrated, multi-state cannabis company headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The company operates under the High Profile Cannabis retail brand across seven states, with more than 30 locations and approximately 150,000 square feet of cultivation and processing facilities. Unlike many multi-state operators, C3 was built largely through organic growth in competitive open markets, beginning in Michigan before expanding through the Midwest, Northeast, and now the South.
High Profile London is located at 140 Faith Assembly Church Road, London, KY. The dispensary serves registered Kentucky medical cannabis patients 18 and over with a qualifying condition. In-store shopping and online pre-ordering are available. Call (606) 657-4335 or visit highprofilecannabis.com.
About the Kentucky Cannabis Industry Association
The Kentucky Cannabis Industry Association (KCIA) is the Commonwealth’s leading trade association for the legal medical cannabis industry, representing licensed dispensaries, cultivators, processors, and industry stakeholders. KCIA advocates for a well-regulated, patient-centered medical cannabis program and works to educate the public, support patients, and advance responsible policy at the state and federal level. Learn more at kycanna.org.
