The Ohio Division of Cannabis Control has granted 110 dispensaries with provisional licenses, enabling them to sell both medical and recreational marijuana upon receiving the final approval.
Out of the total of 110, Northeast Ohio has 36 while Southwest Ohio has 29, and Central Ohio has 18. The highest number of cases is reported in Franklin County with 12, followed by Cuyahoga with 11, and Hamilton with nine.
Discover the list of facilities that hold a provisional license by clicking on this link.
Although license applications must be approved or denied by Sept. 7, policymakers and the state government have repeatedly stated that recreational sales could potentially occur by mid-June.
Ohioans who are 21 years old and above can now legally smoke, vape, and consume marijuana, thanks to the approval of Issue 2. Moreover, individuals in Ohio are now permitted to grow up to six cannabis plants, with a maximum of 12 plants per household.
Tom Haren from the Ohio Cannabis Coalition is maintaining a positive outlook despite the delay in the start date.
Haren emphasized that building Rome took a considerable amount of time and effort. “It wasn’t a task that could be accomplished in a day,” he said.
Buying weed legally has been a challenge for consumers due to the lengthy process involved in obtaining a license with a certificate of operation. Before one can purchase weed legally, they must first acquire a provisional license, which is then followed by a series of procedures to obtain the final license.
In order to operate legally, shops in the state must fulfill a set of requirements laid out by the government. These include maintaining visitor logs, implementing curbside and drive-through pickup options, and utilizing surveillance systems. Additionally, dispensaries must show that they can reserve inventory to ensure that medical patients receive priority access. As part of the evaluation process, sellers are also required to conduct a test sale to both a medical patient and a recreational consumer, among other tasks.
Brandon Nemec from Verilife stated that they have been actively hiring to ensure their staffing needs are met.
Governor Mike DeWine is advocating for additional regulations.
In late June, DeWine expressed his concern about the issue of walking down the street with a five-year-old and encountering the smell of marijuana smoke.
For months, he has been urging lawmakers to address his concerns regarding safety.
In an effort to regulate the consumption of cannabis, the Senate has approved several modifications to the existing laws. These changes include limiting or banning public smoking. However, the proposed amendments also come with limitations on home cultivation, lowered THC levels, and a ban on most vaping products. These are just some of the many restrictions and alterations being proposed that could potentially deviate from the initial intention of what was voted on by the public.
Dispensaries are being supported by House Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) who has been blocking it.
In late June, Stephens emphasized the significance of respecting the voters’ decision. “It is crucial to honor the will of the voters,” she stated. She further added that the law passed in November is still in effect and must be upheld.
Both chambers’ lawmakers aim to impose stricter advertising guidelines, but they are at odds over the method. The House seeks a clean bill without the Senate going against the public’s will, according to House leaders.
According to the Senate leaders, the citizens were not fully aware of what they were voting for, and they may not actually desire or require the ability to cultivate six plants as an individual or up to 12 plants in a household.
The Senate has recently put forth a new bill, S.B. 278, which aims to prohibit smoking or vaping in public places. However, there is no mention of reducing the amount of homegrown marijuana this time. Despite this, state Rep. Jamie Callender (R-Concord), a passionate advocate for marijuana, declared that he will not allow a public ban to take place during his tenure as a House leader.
Despite being legalized in November and set to take effect in December 2023, marijuana remains unavailable for sale due to an ongoing argument between the House and Senate leaders over whose policy is more suitable for the state. Both parties have presented their proposals, but a consensus has yet to be reached, leaving the shelves empty.
Despite the sales not meeting the expected targets in June, Haren has stated that Cannabis Control is still on track and ahead of schedule. The organization has until September to issue the initial round of licenses, giving them sufficient time to make necessary adjustments and improvements.
Haren expressed his optimism about Ohioans being able to buy legal, regulated, taxed, tested, and adult-use marijuana products within just a few weeks. “We’re thrilled that this is finally happening in the Buckeye State,” he said.
Marijuana policy is not expected to undergo any changes until the end of the year. This is because both chambers are currently in summer recess and will remain so until after the November elections.